RAWALPINDI: The roof of Islamabad International Airport started leaking after heavy rain on Monday, causing damage to the false ceiling in the State Guest Lounge and some other parts of the airport.

Due to stormy rain, a private VIP small passenger plane parked at the apron slightly moved, however, no damage was done to the aircraft.

According to sources, instead of taking measures to control the damage, the airport authorities started locating the individual who had made the video of rainwater dripping from the ceiling and uploading on social media.

Pictures and videos of the leakage that went viral on social media showed the rainwater leaking from the airport’s ceiling of the FIA immigration counter in the International Departure Lounge and ceiling sheets falling down.

Rainwater started dripping from the false ceiling in the international departure lounge, Gandhara Art Gallery, and the state guest lounge of the airport, exposing the poor construction quality of the airport built with Rs104 billion about three years ago.

A CAA official told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the rainwater had caused damage to the false ceiling in the international departure lounge and state lounge.

Luckily no guest was sitting in the state lounge otherwise the situation would have been very bad.

Later, the airport’s maintenance staff started repair work and removing debris of the false ceiling from the lounges.

The airport has witnessed similar scenes several times during monsoon ever since it was made operational.

Similar situation had developed in August last year and repairs had been done but to no avail.

Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and the then Secretary Aviation had taken notice of the rain water leakage after the videos went viral on social media and ordered an investigation.

A spokesman for CAA didn’t reply to the queries.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2021