ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The defence ministry is reported to have asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to explain its position on a deal for acquiring 323 kanals of land in apparent violation of rules. The deal is part of purchase of additional land for the new Islamabad airport.

In a related development, the CAA has released Rs35 million to a private estate agent as part payment for the land deal. CAA’s spokesman Pervez George confirmed that the first instalment had been released and the remaining amount would be paid under an agreed schedule.

The spokesman said the land was urgently needed for a second runway and the deal had been approved by the board of directors.

Meanwhile, the stone-laying ceremony of the new airport, which was expected to be performed jointly by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Dec 21-23, has been postponed.

Arrangements for the ceremony had been under way for about a month with the CAA and other departments concerned having set up their camp offices, but the President’s House said the president would not be free on the said dates.