PESHAWAR: The Civil Aviation Authority has allowed resumption of night landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport after almost five years, a notification issued by the home and tribal affairs department said on Wednesday.

The official communiqué said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had immediately allowed resumption of night landing at the airport. Night landing at the airport was stopped after firing at a PIA aircraft in June 2014. A woman was killed while two people, including a steward, received bullet injuries in the attack. The flight coming from Karachi was flying low over Landi Akhun Ahmad area adjacent to the tribal region when it came under fire.

Following the incident, the CAA stopped domestic and international airlines from night landing and diverted flight operations to day time. An official of CAA hailed resumption of night landing at the airport. He said that domestic airlines were likely to start flights to and from Peshawar, particularly upcoming Haj operations, after sunset.

Meanwhile, the airport manager said he had received the notification, but as and when the instruction received from the CAA director general in that regard they would implement the night operations.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2019