KARACHI: In a high-level meeting chaired by Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hassan Naqvi, the Karachi administration finalized a comprehensive and coordinated action plan to mitigate the rising threat of bird strikes to aircraft near Jinnah International Airport. Attended by senior officials from the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), KMC, local cantonment boards, and district administrations, the forum addressed the severe risks posed by bird flocks gathering near nearby waste sites, including Thaddo Nala, Chakor Nala, and areas surrounding Habib University.
To eliminate these hazards, the administration has imposed a strict ban on open garbage dumping within the airport’s vicinity and mandated permanent cleanliness arrangements. While the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) confirmed that cleaning operations at Chakor Nala are already underway, the chair emphasized that merely clearing choking points is insufficient; all internal waste must be entirely removed and relocated to designated landfills immediately to prevent attracting birds. Furthermore, addressing specific complaints regarding residents of adjacent apartments throwing trash into the drains, the Deputy Commissioner East has been directed to take immediate, priority action. To ensure strict enforcement, a dedicated committee led by the Additional Deputy Commissioner East-II—comprising members from KMC, SSWMB, Cantonment Boards, PAA, and the Police—has been established to actively engage with residential associations within a 2-kilometer radius of the airport, ensuring proper waste disposal and safeguarding aviation operations.
