future of nur khan air base

[Imran Khan]

as civilians move away now fully old islambd airport is nurkhan airbase but its seems this is really very bad place to having air base here . don't you guys think PAF should move away nur khan air base and PAA heli base dhamiyal out of this crowded messy place to out of city somewhere ? after all its airbase to protect our capital ? for me i think GHQ -NURKHAN BASE - DHAMIYAL BASE must be transferred immediately out of pindi to some decent location .

 

[PDF]

as civilians move away now fully old islambd airport is nurkhan airbase but its seems this is really very bad place to having air base here . don't you guys think PAF should move away nur khan air base and PAA heli base dhamiyal out of this crowded messy place to out of city somewhere ? after all its airbase to protect our capital ? for me i think GHQ -NURKHAN BASE - DHAMIYAL BASE must be transferred immediately out of pindi to some decent location .

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Now that the new airport is fully functional, Air Force will get back its land which was given to CAA for civilian purposes. I just don't see PAF moving it elsewhere.
Regarding the point that military installations must be away from crowded places, We have most of the cantts around crowded places and at places which are at prime locations. Why would military want to leave such places to far and distant locations?

 

[war&peace]

It is so stupid and disconcerting to see that people like to live close to the airports and airbases. It is not only very noisy and disturbing but also very dangerous for both the airplanes/pilots/passengers and the people living in the surroundings.

More sad is the fact that both the govt and the airforce have not done anything to stop it either. So who should we blame it on RAW, CIA or Mossad?

 

[Captain77W]

Most cost effective option would be for the PAF to build a military Apron at the new Islamabad Airport

 

[Readerdefence]

Hi if it’s the PAF land which been given to CAA they can sell it on very lucrative price to build some housing or whatever & with that those finances can easily buy land on reduce govt rate price somewhere outside and can have a new airbase to defend capital and GHQ also
Thank you

 

[MBT 3000]

great place for air defences

 

[Jugger]

It is so stupid and disconcerting to see that people like to live close the airports and airbases...It is not only very noisy and disturbing but also very dangerous for both airplanes and the people living in the surrounding. More sad is the fact that both the govt and the airforce have not done anything to stop it either. So who should we blame it on RAW, CIA or Mossad?

You can blame RAW, CIA and then Mossad in that order.

The real threat to planes is RAW agents flying kites near the airbase, it can easily bring down a plane.

BEWARE...!

 

[Indus Pakistan]

as civilians move away now fully old islambd airport is nurkhan airbase but its seems this is really very bad place to having air base here . don't you guys think PAF should move away nur khan air base and PAA heli base dhamiyal out of this crowded messy place to out of city somewhere ? after all its airbase to protect our capital ? for me i think GHQ -NURKHAN BASE - DHAMIYAL BASE must be transferred immediately out of pindi to some decent location .

View attachment 471904

Great point you make. Most of these cantonments are from British era and were built on the edges of the 'native' towns. Since then the urban population has exploded and enveloped these cantonments etc. This applies to Chaklala which was a RAF base before 1947.

No developed country has military instalations in middle of major cities. The best way forward which would 'kill two birds with one stone -

• PAF/Military sell the land which is then acquired by government to build massive new town offering cheaper housing to the overcrowded areas of neighbouring Rawalpindi. This would help Pindi to decongest and open up which would be win win for everybody.
• 
  
• The military get to build a new airbase on greenfield site in the adjacent region which would offer a chance to build a first class secure military base with airfield.

 

[war&peace]

Great point you make. Most of these cantonments are from British era and were built on the edges of the 'native' towns. Since then the urban population has exploded and enveloped these cantonments etc. This applies to Chaklala which was a RAF base before 1947.

No developed country has military instalations in middle of major cities. The best way forward which would 'kill two birds with one stone -

• PAF/Military sell the land which is then acquired by government to build massive new town offering cheaper housing to the overcrowded areas of neighbouring Rawalpindi. This would help Pindi to decongest and open up which would be win win for everybody.
• 
  
• The military get to build a new airbase on greenfield site in the adjacent region which would offer a chance to build a first class secure military base with airfield.

Or PAF can build commercial areas on these old and within-the-city airbases to get a steady stream of income and acquire land in some remote locations at very low rates and develop the new airbase with modern facilities and needs. But the story does not end here, they should force the govt to do strict legislation with clear implementation mechanism for complete prohibition of construction and settlement within certain range for the next 75 years.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Old Islamabad Airport is riven with nostalgia. When I was a young man and on my first trip to Pakistan in early 1980s I lived with my uncle in Islamabad - I-10. He was then a customs superintendent at the airport and minting money via that Pakistani curse - corruption. Anyway as he did not need his car while at work he agreed if I dropped him off in the morning and picked him up in late afternoon I could have the car all day. I of course grabbed that opportunity although his shift did slip forward until he was doing the late evening shift. Boy did I not have fun in that Toyota Corolla, crusing the mean Kayabhans of Islamabad. I often tangled with police but my uncle had all the connections so that was not a problem.

No idea about today but customs was a racket then. They would impound alcohol, perfumes, expensive gifts at airport and these were then kept at a customs depot to be sold. Of course lot of this stuff went into the personal use of the custom officers. more was gifted to high ups in Islamabad. Letting through 'madams' of powerful with their shopping from west was a perk of the job which bought return favours.

In many a evening these dodgy custom officers would congrete at Commercial Centre in Rawalpindi Satellite Town and sit around outside in evening with all the smoke exhausts sipping chai and slicing deals with civilian peddlers many of whom were from Peshwar. Essentially the impounded products including even cars were auctioned but it was all fixed before hand. That chai khana was the "fix it" place. I often sat there bored inhaling the fumes with ocasional aeroplanes thundering overhead from the airport. The mix of kebabs being grilled, exhaust fumes and heat made for a strange environment.

On one occasion when I dropped my uncle at the airport on a night shift at 10.00 pm he told me to give lift to his custom buddies who were clocking off. Boy did I have a experiance. They told me if I could take them to Pindi Intercontinental. When we got there they told me it was party time meaning alcohol and women. I was young and wet behind my ears and got anxious. Despite my reservations (they refused to believe that I from UK did not drink) and I ended up in a room full of PIA crew - including bunch of rather attractive female hostesses. The room stank of alcohol and smoke.

What happened after that is for another time.

Ps. Most British Pakistani's ancestors left Pakistan from what is now old Islamabad Airport in 1950s/60s.

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

Google up a few of the older airports in the US.

h3ll look at LAX, JFK, Dallas-Fort Worth. The encroachment of civilian housing towards airports/airbases is dangerous but it's not a Pakistani phenomenon.

 

[Safriz]

as civilians move away now fully old islambd airport is nurkhan airbase but its seems this is really very bad place to having air base here . don't you guys think PAF should move away nur khan air base and PAA heli base dhamiyal out of this crowded messy place to out of city somewhere ? after all its airbase to protect our capital ? for me i think GHQ -NURKHAN BASE - DHAMIYAL BASE must be transferred immediately out of pindi to some decent location .

View attachment 471904

Not really. Pakistan's population has exploded and there is nowhere in the country where locals wont complain about the noise made by jets.
So the base should remain where it is

 

[Kabira]

That is waste of good land for apartments in middle of city. But chances are they will announce another DHA. We need to get rid village mentality and stop looking for bungalows in middle of cities, they can't seriously expect cities to keep growing around all parts for ever?

Not really. Pakistan's population has exploded and there is nowhere in the country where locals wont complain about the noise made by jets.
So the base should remain where it is

Especially cities population have exploded in last couple of decades because of rural migration, just look at growth of Pindi/ISB, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar etc Ironically Karachi population growth isn't as much it used to be in 70-80's now. Violence is likely one reason.

 

[SQ8]

Great point you make. Most of these cantonments are from British era and were built on the edges of the 'native' towns. Since then the urban population has exploded and enveloped these cantonments etc. This applies to Chaklala which was a RAF base before 1947.

No developed country has military instalations in middle of major cities. The best way forward which would 'kill two birds with one stone -

• PAF/Military sell the land which is then acquired by government to build massive new town offering cheaper housing to the overcrowded areas of neighbouring Rawalpindi. This would help Pindi to decongest and open up which would be win win for everybody.
• 
  
• The military get to build a new airbase on greenfield site in the adjacent region which would offer a chance to build a first class secure military base with airfield.

The military give away land?

Only if they have to “Hatyaar daal do”
Once land is taken, be it beautiful scenic spots used for their own resorts, or prime agricultural land.. it isn’t going back.

The base may still continue to work, and may serve as a better air defense detachment with more extensive facilities to be used in times of conflict.
Finally, it could serve as the airclub well.

 

[Signalian]

• PAF/Military sell the land which is then acquired by government to build massive new town offering cheaper housing to the overcrowded areas of neighbouring Rawalpindi. This would help Pindi to decongest and open up which would be win win for everybody.

Already constructed landing strip is always handy during emergencies in busy hours as for war-time purposes.