Mai Bakhtawar International Airport مائی بختاور بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈہ | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority | ||||||||||
Location | Islamkot, Sindh Pakistan | ||||||||||
Opened | 2018 | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 182 ft / 54 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 24°50′49.7″N 70°05′47.1″E / 24.847139°N 70.096417°E | ||||||||||
Maps | |||||||||||
Location in Sindh | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Mai Bakhtawar Airport located near Mithi and Islamkot in Tharparkar District, Sindh, Pakistan is named after Mai Bakhtawar Lashari.[1] She was the first woman to lose her life during the peasant uprisings in Sindh in 1947.[2] [3]
The airport was built by the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan at a cost of Rs. 972.07 million, following a request from the Sindh Coal Authority to support the development of the nearby Thar coalfield.[3] The Ministry of Defence (Pakistan) granted clearance for its construction on 25 September 2009, as it is located within 80 km (50 mi) of Pakistan's international border with India.[4]
The airport is being constructed to accommodate Category-C aircraft in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, featuring a 7,000-foot runway.[3]
The airport serves both civil and military air traffic. Although it was inaugurated on 11 April 2018, it has faced challenges in reaching full completion.[5]