RAWALPINDI: After yet another bird strike wherein a C-130 aircraft was damaged in the latter days of December last year, the Nur Khan Airbase administration asked the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner and the city police officer (CPO) to remove bird cages installed by residents on their rooftops in the vicinity of the airbase.

The complaint made to the district administration by the Pakistan Air Force on Jan 11 was the second request in just one month, with the sources saying that bird strikes cause damages to the tune of millions of dollars to the national exchequer, which Pakistan could not afford it due to fiscal challenges.

They said that last month, a bird collided with C-130 – a military transport plane – during its landing at the airbase. They added that the presence of domesticated birds, particularly pigeons, was “extremely dangerous to the safety of all flights and VVIP helicopters [flying at low-altitude] operating from the Nur Khan base”.

“These bird/pigeon strikes are exceedingly risky and endanger the safety of the aircraft taking off and landing from the Nur Khan airfield as well as low-level aircraft, such as the helicopters of Pakistan’s prime minister and the president that frequently approach and proceed from Margallas at low altitudes”.

‘List compiled’

In order to locate the presence of these birds and their abodes, a fresh survey was carried out to identify the locations and people who “are keeping pigeons and pigeon cages in their houses” in the vicinity of the airfield even though the practice is ‘prohibited’.

Accordingly, the authorities concerned identified the exact location of recently observed unauthorised pigeon cages on rooftops just across the airfield towards the north and just across the boundary wall of the base in the civil area. About six pigeon cages were clearly visible from inside the base boundary wall and from there pigeons fly in a “circular pattern”, posing extreme threats to the airbase and its operations. Subsequently, a list of people who had pigeons was also compiled.

The PAF asked the DC and the CPO to take necessary action on a priority basis to remove these cages hazardous to the safety of ‘VVIP flights’ and the airforce’s mobility operations. They were also asked to initiate legal action against violators and to remove the cages from the houses, as the cooperation in this regard would “certainly assist in saving the valuable national assets”.

It may be recalled that the Nur Khan authorities have asked the district administration and the police to take action against the birds in the area several times in the past, but these complaints remained unheeded. Besides birds, firing in the air also remained a major threat to the aircraft and base officials.

‘Celebratory firing’

On Thursday, celebratory firing took place at a wedding ceremony in Sadiqabad – a neighbourhood almost 6km away from the airbase – and caused damage to a police van and nearby houses.

The police promptly responded and rounded up nine people. In the FIR, the police said that in addition to shooting at the police party, the suspects also put ‘national assets’ in danger and sparked fear and terror in the public.

The police claimed a large number of weapons and bullets were recovered and launched a manhunt to detain the bridegroom. An FIR was registered against the suspects under different sections, including the anti-terrorism law.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2024