Authorities have mulled over construction of greenfield airports in Dera Ismail Khan and Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), a Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA) spokesperson said on Friday.

The session in this regard was organised by the PAA titled ‘Stakeholders Engagement & Briefing Session’ in Karachi to discuss the development of new and upgraded airport infrastructure.

The forum also discussed upgradation of the existing airport in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The session was presided by PAA Director Planning and Development Engineer Ghulam Abbas Sheikh. The meeting brought together representatives from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), AirSial, Airblue, SereneAir, and Fly Dubai, along with PAA’s respective project consultants.

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The agreement, following days of violence and widespread protests in AJK, between the federal government representatives and Joint Awami Action Committee earlier this month also mentioned that an announcement regarding the timeline for developing an international airport in Mirpur could be made during the current financial year.

The aviation authority spokesperson said the consultants briefed the participants on the latest feasibility findings and presented updated passenger potential data analyses. During the session, airline representatives shared their perspectives, noting that the development of smaller airports in the proposed regions could initially divert passenger traffic from major city airports.

The PAA team responded with a strategic outlook, emphasising that strengthening regional connectivity stimulates economic growth, tourism, and accessibility — ultimately benefitting Pakistan’s overall aviation network.

The PAA reaffirmed its commitment to continue engaging with all stakeholders and technical experts to explore feasible, demand-driven development options that support balanced and sustainable growth of Pakistan’s aviation infrastructure, the PAA spokesperson said.