SUDHANOTI (Kashmir English): Overseas Kashmiris and residents in Azad Kashmir are demanding an Azad Kashmir international airport through social media campaigns and protests, as travel difficulties and safety concerns persist due to the lack of proper air connectivity.
The population of more than five million across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has to endure the lack of an International airport even though resident Kashmiris totalling 2.5 million live abroad throughout the United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The permanent residents in different nations who come from Kashmir abroad encounter major complications during their journeys to see their families back home. People who reside in remote areas of Azad Kashmir face growing risks during their dangerous commute from Islamabad Airport.
The people of Kashmir Digital conveyed their discontent during interviews because Azad Kashmir does not have an international airport facility. The absence of a proper International airport requires Kashmiri residents and overseas Kashmiris to use alternative airport facilities throughout the country. The lack of a proper International airport causes travel time extensions and operational hardships primarily affecting families and elderly travelers as well as passengers with special requirements.
A Kashmiri youth returning from the UK, Chaudhry Tasaraf became a tragic victim after disguised police officers posing as robbers killed him during his journey from Islamabad Airport to Dadyal. The tragic incident has intensified public concerns, thus leading to reservations for an independent international airport within Azad Kashmir.
Public demand for the Azad Kashmir international airport
Before the 2021 general elections, the former Prime Minister, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, declared his dedication to both activating the existing airports in Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and Rawalakot and establishing an international airport for Azad Kashmir. Residents of Muzaffarabad point to the failure of these commitments made by administrative leaders.
The local population asks the Azad Kashmir President Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq and Prime Minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry to execute immediate action for this project. The activation of local airports would serve travelers better in addition to generating local jobs and expanding tourism throughout the region.
Currently, airports exist in Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad, but they are only used for paragliding and other recreational activities. These airports were functional for domestic flights after the 2005 earthquake, but services were discontinued in 2006. Meanwhile, despite Azad Kashmir’s strong potential for tourism, there is no direct means for international or domestic travellers to access the region by air.
The city of Mirpur is at the centre of an ongoing campaign by overseas Kashmiris demanding an international airport due to its large diaspora in the UK. The issue is also part of the agenda of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee.
Local residents believe that establishing an international airport in AJK would not only ease travel difficulties but also promote tourism and create job opportunities for the region’s youth. They urge the Azad Kashmir government to take serious measures and push Pakistan’s federal authorities to address this long-standing demand.
