8 private planes enrolled with CAA, Senate told

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar on Monday informed the Senate that eight persons/firms have registered their private planes with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the aviation regulator, which they use for travel purposes within the country and abroad.The individuals and companies who own these private aircraft include Tahir Saleem, Majid Bashir Janjua, Adventure Sports, JDW Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, Abdus Sattar Edhi Foundation, M/s JDW Sugar Mill, M/s Kingcrete Associate, and M/s Pak Arab Fertilizers Ltd.The minister further informed that CAA has not recorded any activity of two aircraft, while Rs 179797 had been charged from four private planes for six months (July to Dec 2011) on account of aeronautical charges.He said that private plane owned by Abdul Sattar Edhi Foundation is exempted from the payment of aeronautical charges as per CAA policy.However, the Minister for Defence refused to answer a part of the question regarding the steps taken by the government to safeguard against the use of private planes for smuggling/human trafficking saying the question does not pertain to his ministry. To another question, he informed the Senate that during the last three years, PIA had promoted a total of 3430 persons. The minister through his written reply further informed the house that those promoted include 1443 from Punjab, 1335 from Sindh, 437 from KPK, 119 from Balochistan, and 48 each from Gilgit Baltistan and AJK.