China and Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD: China and Saudi Arabia are among the five countries seeking control of airports in Pakistan. The other three bidders are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey as the government has announced the outsourcing of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore airports.
Only the government would outsource the ground operations of these airports.
Among the interested parties, Saudi Arabia’s Bin Laden group is also actively pursuing the outsourcing of airports. On the other hand, the Qatar government is more focused on taking over the cargo sector of the airports.
The Gulf country’s company is also considering providing five-star hotels and modern amenities at the airports, according to insider sources.
To attract foreign investment, the government plans to carry out the outsourcing process through an open tendering system.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an offshoot of the World Bank, is providing advisory services to the government in this matter.
Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced that Islamabad Airport the government would outsource Islamabad airport for 15 years. He made it clear that the government would not outsource essential services such as navigational facilities and runway operations. Like earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would continue to handle them.
The outsourcing process began in March this year, initially targeting only Islamabad Airport. However, the CAA confirmed that the government was pursuing outsourcing plans. As of now, 12-13 companies have expressed their interest, and competitive bidding will be conducted.
The Minister assured lawmakers that the outsourcing process adheres strictly to public procurement rules and operates under the authority’s private-public partnership regulations.
He emphasized that implementing the best international practices is a priority for Pakistan’s first outsourced airport. Following that, his team plans to outsource airports in Lahore and Karachi as well.
Khawaja Saad Rafique highlighted successful examples of outsourced airport operations in various countries, such as India, Istanbul, and Madinah. He encouraged Pakistan to embrace modern practices rather than remaining stagnant.
The Minister made it clear that outsourcing does not involve selling or mortgaging the airports. He also said that outsourcing will not result in job losses for the current employees.
He assured that the government would project jobs and salaries of the existing staff at Islamabad Airport.
