PESHAWAR, April 18: The provincial government has decided to explore more suitable sites for a new airport in Peshawar, in addition to the already selected and examined for the purpose.

A meeting held in the Governor House here stressed that a new airport of international standard in Peshawar was inevitable and efforts must be expedited to finalize a site, according to a handout.

The governor and the chief minister said that measures to improve facilities at the existing airport must also continue to meet the increasing requirements of air traffic. But provision of facilities at the airport, they said, should not substitute the demand for having a new airport of international standard in Peshawar.

The meeting stressed that new sites in the Peshawar valley and its surroundings should also be explored to finalize a more suitable place for the purpose. In his brief remarks at the meeting, Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah said realistic studies should be carried out for the construction of the new airport. The new facility, he added, should provide a long-term solution to the air traffic requirements.

Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani said the demand for a new international airport in the provincial metropolis was justified and assured that the government would extend every possible support to this project. He said if the sites so far reviewed had technical flaws, the selection process should be expanded.

An additional airport at a suitable site in Peshawar will ease the load of traffic on the existing airport and will meet the requirements of the increasing international air traffic from this part of the country.

Earlier, the meeting was briefed on the fate of technical studies carried out and the hurdles and difficulties being faced in the implementation of the new project.

The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, CAA Deputy Director-General Abid Rao, Air Officer Commanding of Northern Air Command Air Vice Marshal Mirza Zafar, Additional Chief Secretary Mir Laiq Shah and Additional Secretary Planning and Development Mohammad Ikram.