Pakistan has taken a fresh step toward privatizing Islamabad International Airport, as the government moves to hire the Asian Development Bank as financial adviser for the process. A high-level committee has been formed to negotiate a Financial Advisory Services Agreement (FASA) with the bank.
The decision was discussed by the Privatisation Commission Board, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, Muhammad Ali. The board will supervise negotiations with ADB and place final recommendations before the federal cabinet for approval.
Officials say the airport will not be sold outright. Instead, the government plans to adopt a long term concession model. Under this structure, airport operations will be outsourced to a private operator through open and competitive bidding. The selected company will manage daily operations, improve services, and invest in upgrades, while ownership of the airport will remain with the state.
The government believes that bringing in a private operator can raise service standards, increase operational efficiency, and improve revenue collection. Aviation experts say many countries have used similar public private partnership models to modernize airports without transferring ownership.
Islamabad is not the only airport under review. Jinnah International Airport and Allama Iqbal International Airport are also part of the wider privatization pipeline. Together, these steps mark a significant step toward reforming and strengthening Pakistan’s aviation sector.
