It has been confirmed that Pakistan is moving forward with plans to upgrade the infrastructure at the country’s main international airport, Islamabad International Airport (ISB). This will include new facilities, such as the airport’s first European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-approved Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) centre.
Developing Pakistan’s Aviation Infrastructure
On July 22, it was announced that the three new facilities are due to be built at Islamabad International Airport (ISB) in Pakistan’s capital city. This comes as part of a broader strategy geared towards the goal of self-reliance in Pakistan’s aviation sector.
The establishment of the MRO centre at ISB will result from a multi-organisational collaboration. The facility is to be developed by NORTEK, a private aviation services company, with the Pakistan Airports Authority contributing administrative support to the project and Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority providing regulatory oversight and supervision.
Once completed, the facility will provide base maintenance and component support for Airbus A318, A319, A320, and A321 aircraft. The centre is expected to not only improve the quality of and access to aviation infrastructure, but also offer brand-new employment opportunities and develop and expand engineering capabilities.
Airblue Airline’s Project
Independently, the private Pakistani airline Airblue is also undertaking an extensive infrastructure project in the country’s capital city to create local access to repair and maintenance services for its aircraft. Similarly, the project will consist of the construction of an EASA-standard aircraft maintenance hangar at Islamabad International Airport.
The facility will support the airline’s engineering operations and provide all-weather protection for aircraft, maintenance equipment, and technical staff. It may even offer maintenance services to other domestic airlines that operate aircraft from the Airbus A320-family, which would reduce the need for exported repairs and further improve access to regional aviation infrastructure.
On top of this, Airblue is also developing a Flight Training Centre at ISB, equipped with a flight simulator and modern classrooms for both type-rating and recurrent pilot training. Pakistan has been facing a shortage of trained pilots in recent years, an issue that is compounded by the fact that overseas training is essential due to a serious lack of training resources available regionally. Airblue’s project aims to help target these obstacles. Provisionally, the facility is scheduled for completion in April 2027.
What do you think about the infrastructure projects at Islamabad International Airport? Let us know in the comments.
