ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government has reportedly altered the name of unmanned aircraft (drone) with civil unmanned craft and included two members of GHQ equal to Brigadier’s rank or above in the Unmanned Aircraft System Authority, sources close to Secretary Civil Aviation Division told Business Recorder.

The sources said Prime Minister Imran Khan in a meeting held on

March 12, 2021 approved, in principle, establishment of Unmanned Aircraft System Authority through a federal statute in order to address the issues of regulating the usage of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

The Draft Bill of the Authority was circulated by the Prime Minister’s Office to all relevant Federal Ministries / Divisions / Organizations and federating units including AJ&K and GB. Majority of the provisions of the Bill were agreed and endorsed by all stakeholders.

According to sources, the Draft Bill for establishment of Unmanned Aircraft System Authority was placed before the Cabinet on March 22, 2021, which on April 7, 2021 accorded in principle approval, to the draft Civil Unmanned Aircraft Bill, 2021. The draft Bill has been vetted by the Law and Justice Division.

Aviation Division, sources said, during a discussion at a meeting noted that the Defence Division has proposed to include the representatives from Survey of Pakistan, Suparco, Army Service Group Engineers (ASGE) and two members from GHQ in the composition of the Authority mentioned in Section 5(2) of the proposed Bill.

The sources said during the meeting it was pointed out that in the title of the proposed Bill the word ‘civil’ has been used which is missing from the original proposal as well as the Bill. It was suggested that the word “Civil” may be inserted before the word Unmanned Aircraft System Authority.

After a detailed discussion on the proposal of Civil Aviation Division, the meeting approved the proposed Bill with the following stipulations: (i) the word “Civil” may be added before the words, “unmanned aircraft” wherever used in the proposed Bill and the proposal; and (ii) in section 5(2), the following nominations be included: (a) representatives from Survey of Pakistan; representatives from Suparco; representatives from Army Service Group Engineers (ASGE); and two members to be nominated by GHQ equivalent to Brigadier rank or above.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021