{"id":78069,"date":"2024-04-01T22:42:04","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T22:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/aviation-body-alleges-massive-corruption-in-sale-of-walton-airport-land\/"},"modified":"2024-04-01T22:42:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T22:42:04","slug":"aviation-body-alleges-massive-corruption-in-sale-of-walton-airport-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/aviation-body-alleges-massive-corruption-in-sale-of-walton-airport-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Aviation body alleges massive corruption in sale of Walton airport land"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

ISLAMABAD: An aviation companies\u2019 body revealed a massive corruption scandal in the selling of Lahore\u2019s Walton airport\u2019s land, ARY News reported.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aircraft Owners & Operators Association (AOOA) Pakistan, in a letter to federal Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, said that Walton airport\u2019s land worth Rs350 billion was sold in exchange for a rural land at Mureedke and Rs50 billion.<\/p>\n

AOOA Pakistan General Secretary Wing Commander (Retd) Muhammad Nawaz Asim in the letter alleged that the sale was conducted against the rules and regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst thing is that out of Rs50 billion only Rs1 billion is received in the accounts of PCAA,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

According to Asim, the historical airport was being destroyed by the land mafias colluding with the director general of CAA and government officials.<\/p>\n

Read more: CAA shuts down Lahore\u2019s Walton airport<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

While urging for a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation along with judicial intervention in the matter, he said that the Walton gate scandal was a symbol of \u201cmala fides on part of the CAA officials and that is how the Aviation Industry is being ruined as the Walton airport was a hub of General Aviation in Pakistan\u201d.<\/p>\n

He raised questions over the beneficiaries of the agreement to sell the airport\u2019s land while urging for finding out who was used as a rubber stamp to facilitate such corruption.
\u201cThe destruction of the national asset where Quid-e-Azam landed in 1947 is a clear case of systematic collapse through the greed of a few,\u201d Asim added.<\/p>\n

It is pertinent to mention that the CAA in 2021 notified the permanent closure of Lahore\u2019s oldest Walton airport.<\/p>\n

In a notification, the CAA directed all flying clubs to ground their planes as the airport was permanently shut down for all operations.<\/p>\n

According to CAA officials, a business hub would be constructed at Walton airport\u2019s place.<\/p>\n

Later that year, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered that flight operations be restored at the Lahore Flying Club, Walton Airport.<\/p>\n

A single bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi issued the order after a government counsel informed the court that eight to 22 weeks were required to prepare a report on the relocation of the airport and related infrastructure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n