KARACHI, Jan 25: A contingent of the US-led coalition troops has started using “some facilities” at the Quaid-i-Azam International airport as staging post for onward transportation of personnel and supplies to Afghanistan.
Though the Civil Aviation Authority officials have denied any such development, the first detachment of the coalition force arrived at the old terminal on Friday, it is reliably learnt.
When contacted, Lt-Col Idrees of the Inter-Service Public Relations said he was not competent enough to comment on the matter and advised Dawn to contact the Civil Aviation Authority.
Police sources, however, confirmed the presence of troops at the old terminal, saying they were part of a peacekeeping force meant for Afghanistan.
Official sources said that a detachment of 31 troops arrived at the airport in a CK-130 aircraft. They said a 45-member contingent had earlier arrived in the city and some of them had returned.
They said that other detachments of the UK-led peacekeeping force, comprising troops from 11 countries, would soon arrive at the airport.
Sources said that six aircraft were seen parked at ‘B-65 Night Parking Area’ in the old terminal area. Among them, four were helicopters, an F-28 transport carrier and another was CK-130 German aircraft.
Police sources said: “We have clear instructions to provide maximum security to the force. A considerable number of peacekeeping force has arrived and we have indication that more troops will arrive.”
They said the police had tightened the security at the airport. “We have deployed the police officials around the old terminal ... we are not directed to enter the airport building.”
On the other hand, Sindh police chief Syed Kamal Shah said: “No force has yet arrived but there are some indications that a UN-led peacekeeping force may land at the airport in future.”
Accordingly, he added, the police had been working out the strategy to provide them security.
Sources said the movement of the troops in civvies was seen at the old terminal. They said a foreign consulate had reserved 36 rooms for more than 10 days in Marriott Hotel and three rooms for a month in Hotel Sheraton.
