ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to establish its first European Aviation Safety Agency-approved Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility at Islamabad International Airport, alongside a new aircraft maintenance hangar and full-flight simulator centre, in a move aimed at reducing dependence on overseas aviation services and saving millions of dollars in foreign exchange.
The projects are being developed under the Ministry of Defence’s Aviation Sector Transformation Programme to strengthen domestic aircraft engineering, maintenance and pilot-training capabilities.
According to the sources, private aviation services provider NORTEK is establishing the specialised Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility with administrative support from the Pakistan Airports Authority and under the regulatory oversight of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
The facility will seek approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which would make it the first centre of its kind in Pakistan. Once operational, it will provide base maintenance and component-support services for Airbus A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.
The project is also expected to create skilled employment opportunities and expand Pakistan’s indigenous aviation engineering capabilities.
Airblue Limited is separately constructing a covered aircraft maintenance facility at Islamabad International Airport in accordance with European Aviation Safety Agency standards.
The hangar will provide all-weather protection for aircraft, technical personnel and maintenance equipment. It will support Airblue’s in-house engineering operations and could also provide domestic maintenance services to other commercial airlines operating Airbus A320-family aircraft.
The facility is expected to reduce the need for airlines to send aircraft abroad for repair and maintenance, helping conserve foreign exchange.
Airblue is also developing a Flight Training Centre and Full Flight Simulator facility at the airport, with tentative completion scheduled for April 2027.
The centre will include advanced flight simulators and modern classrooms for type-rating and recurrent training. It is expected to help address Pakistan’s shortage of trained pilots, improve aviation safety standards and reduce the cost of sending aviation professionals overseas for training.
The officials said the projects would help transform Islamabad International Airport into a regional centre for aircraft maintenance, aviation engineering, regulatory compliance and professional flight training.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026