KHUZDAR: Traders and residents of Khuzdar district are calling upon the government to make the Khuzdar airport functional.

The airport was built 21 years ago in Khuzdar, the headquarters of Kalat division, populated by a few hundred thousand people back then, the air service was suspended in 2002. Since then, the runway wears a desolated look with people fearing it will eventually turn into a wreck.

Traders based in Khuzdar said they had problems travelling within the country on a timely basis because they were deprived of air services facilities in their city. They reasoned that since the population of the district has increased manifold, a functional airport is the need of the hour which will not only serve its populace but also nearby cities and districts.

Residents who spoke to Dawn said they had requested the authorities concerned to look into the matter. With frequent gridlocks in traffic on the Quetta- Karachi national highway, travelling had become a challenge within the country, they said.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2019