The government has decided to abandon plans to outsource the management and operations of Islamabad International Airport to the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi expressed no interest in advancing the proposal. Following this development, the airport will now be included in the active privatization list, drawing on the government’s recent experience with the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines, according to official sources.
The decision came after repeated delays from the UAE in nominating a company to participate in the outsourcing arrangement. Pakistan had issued a final call letter seeking clarity, but the UAE indicated that it was still unable to confirm a nominated entity and eventually signaled that it was not willing to proceed under the proposed framework.
Earlier negotiations had been limited strictly to Islamabad International Airport, with several draft agreements exchanged between the two sides. However, progress stalled due to the UAE’s inability to identify a participating company. In light of this, the government has formally ended discussions with Abu Dhabi and is now moving forward with plans to privatize Islamabad International Airport alongside Karachi and Lahore airports, integrating it into the broader national privatization strategy.
