RAWALPINDI: Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said the bifurcation of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was being done according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirement.

In reply to a question during a press conference on Saturday, the minister said the CAA will be separated into two divisions on the basis of regulatory functions and airport services which will improve the services and facilities.

About diversion of flights to Islamabad from Lahore, the minister said the main runway at Allama Iqbal International Airport, which was equipped with CAT3B anti-fog landing system, was being repaired and the secondary runway had no such facility. As a result, incoming flights affected by fog were being diverted to Islamabad International Airport.

Says employees have been offered transfer from one department to another based on their skills, qualifications

The minister said CAA had offered its employees to transfer from one department to another based on their skills and qualifications as a part of the bifurcation of the department into “Regulatory, Airport and Operations” divisions.

The CAA will be split into two divisions – operational and regulatory – each for different responsibilities.

The CAA board in September 2020 had approved the functional separation of CAA into two divisions in line with a decision of the federal cabinet.

The aim of the functional separation was to demarcate the regulator and service role of the CAA, not only to meet the international aviation standard but also to enhance the overall efficiency of the functions.

Following the decision, a management plan was made for smooth transitioning of the functional separation of the aviation regulator.

If an employee belonged to the family of airports and operations division trade but due to their experience was working in the regulatory division or vice versa, they are given a choice to opt for transfer of service in the division of their choice.

The CAA Human Resource directorate has asked its employees for their willingness for transfer of service in the division of their choice with fulfilling the criterion of any post. Interested employees should submit their willingness till Jan 15.

Transfer of service application forms - containing an undertaking - has been offered to CAA employees with terms and conditions.

On the other hand, the CAA employees have expressed their concerns over the bifurcation plan. After receiving the HR directorate’s letter, the employees said it did not elaborate which sections or directorates were included in the airport services and which were in the regulatory division and what were their core responsibilities.

They also asked the authorities concerned about what will be the service structure of the two divisions and what will be the pay and allowances and pension structure of the two divisions.

They said after their concerns and ambiguities were clarified, it would help them choose the proper and appropriate section for further serving in the CAA.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 4th, 2021