Security Breach at ZIA
The vexing question of security (or lack of it) at the Zia International Airport has come up for a close scrutiny after a stowaway was found dead at Delhi airport on a British Airways flight Saturday that originated from ZIA. This is not the first such incident. Another young stowaway, Mahbub died in the same manner on a Bangladesh Biman flight to Jeddah. This led to a lot of criticism about security breaches at the airport that put aircraft and precious lives of thousands of innocent passengers to grave danger. An enquiry committee, as usual, was put in place and several suggestions including walling up the periphery of the airport and specially the runway and tightening of security measures, were vociferously advanced. But the recent happening clearly suggests that nothing tangible was achieved by the authorities responsible for the security of the lives and state property at the most important airport of the country. It has been reported in a section of the press that except for aircraft engineers none is supposed to climb the undercarriage hold of a plane, and at least three guards are on duty, two of them armed, when an aircraft is loaded at the apron. Lack of vigilance has also been reported as well as theft of a sizeable number of lights from the runway. The watchtowers also remain unmanned. These are serious allegations against the Civil Aviation Authority.
Apart from the question of security of the airport this incident also points towards a dangerous trend among young people not to stop short at anything to escape for a better future. In any case we are faced with the real danger of risking security leaks at one of our most vital installations. The relevant ministry should immediately tighten its grip on ZIA to avoid recurrence of such unfortunate deaths. Two such deaths are simply too many to overlook.
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