Pakistan's aviation policy is based on reciprocity which ensures equal opportunity for all carriers, said Director General Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Air Marshal Pervez Akhtar Nawaz (Retd).
"We must protect our own interest and the revenue for carrying passengers should not flow out of Pakistan. However, in cargo CAA has an Open Skies Policy for all carriers at all airports of the country", he told PPI in an interview in Karachi.
Describing CAA's charges as "competitive" in South Asian region, he said landing and housing charges are not the only ones airlines have to pay. There are cargo handling and fuel expenses also.
The total turn-around including all charges for Boeing 747 at Jinnah International Terminal at Karachi Airport are competitive vis-à-vis those being charged in the neighbourhood and at Gulf airports, Air Marshal Pervez Nawaz (Retd) stated.
"The facilities at Pakistani airports are comparable with world class airports. CAA facilitates any airline, which wants to operate to Pakistan. Our charges are better than those prevailing at Dubai airport".
He said plans are under way to lease land for construction of a five-star hotel at Jinnah Terminal in Karachi for tourists and visitors.
CAA, which looks after 42 civil airports in the country, is "financially sound. We do not take any funds from the government and have planned many development projects", he added.
The next major project of CAA would be new Islamabad International Airport for which 3200 acres land has already been acquired.
Air Marshal Pervez Akhtar (Retd) said work would start shortly on strengthening and lengthening runway at Gwadar airport in Balochistan to facilitate landing and takeoff of Boeing 737.
With night landing facilities and better ground handling capability, bigger planes with more passengers and cargo could fly to Gwadar meeting growing needs of the coastal city and its deep-sea port. In next phase, a new airport capable of handling widebody aircraft like Boeing 747s will be built further north of Gwadar city, he said.
CAA DG said a team of International Civil Aviation Organisation visited Pakistan recently to carry out audit of Authority's important departments and described its facilities in line with international standards.
CAA staff, including engineers, air traffic controllers and radar operators maintains high professional standards. He termed training standards of CAA as "good".
He said the Authority believed in providing level playing field to all airlines and ensuring healthy competition. "We have enhanced security deposits of carriers, who are now paying their current dues and previous ones in instalments".
The most important regulatory function of CAA was to ensure flight safety on which "We never compromise. This is our number one priority. We have full-fledged directorate for this and monitor all airlines, their crew, aircraft, engineering, etc," he stated.
CAA's Training Institute at Hyderabad has been training not only staff of Authority, but also those from friendly countries for the past 18 years.