KARACHI, 26 January — Pakistan has withdrawn the facility it had given to the United States and its coalition partners for the use of its airspace by military aircraft after the end of airstrikes in Afghanistan, and instead had allowed the US troops to land at Karachi airport in civilian aircraft for onward journey or operation in Afghanistan, reports here said.
Officials said that the old terminal building of the Karachi airport will now be used for peacekeeping forces. In fact, they recalled that the first batch of about 30 members of the force had flown in on Thursday by a German aircraft. The plane was parked in the night parking area.
An F-28 cargo plane and four helicopters with equipments for peacekeeping force had also landed at the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, and may be transported to Afghanistan for peace duties, these officials said.
Coalition forces started their operation through Karachi after the Pakistan government requested back the facility it had granted earlier to Americans at postwar airfields in Balochistan and Sindh.
These airfields are now being used by Pakistan Air Force to deal with the emergency situation, created by the movement of the Indian forces along the Pakistani border, and activation of its air force and navy around Karachi and the coastal areas of Balochistan. The allied forces will be landing their men and equipment through jumbo jets. Their operation will be guided by the control towers.
