DERA GHAZI KHAN: Pakistan has begun a Rs5.5 billion expansion of Dera Ghazi Khan (DG Khan) Airport, with completion expected by January 2028, Federal Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has said.
During a visit to inspect the project, Leghari said Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) teams were working at the site, including on plans to extend the runway.
The expansion follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement to develop the airport for international flights.
Leghari said the upgrade would improve travel facilities for local residents and create new opportunities for economic growth in South Punjab.
Four Major Development Projects Planned for DG Khan
The airport expansion is one of four major development projects announced for the city by the prime minister.
The other initiatives include a cancer hospital, a long-term sewerage scheme and the widening and rehabilitation of roads.
According to Leghari, the sewerage project is being designed to meet the region’s needs for the next 50 years. Meanwhile, wider and rehabilitated roads are expected to improve transport and daily commuting.
The government says these projects will strengthen public services and support regional development.
Government Targets Electricity Theft and Power Losses
During the visit, Leghari also discussed electricity load shedding and efforts to reduce losses across Pakistan’s power distribution network.
He said power cuts were being carried out according to an established schedule. He added that gas supply constraints linked to wider geopolitical tensions had increased the cost of electricity generation.
The minister said the government was introducing modern technology to curb electricity theft and reduce transmission and distribution losses.
Under this initiative, the Advanced Power Management System (APMS) is being installed on transformers across the country. The system aims to identify areas with high levels of electricity theft.
Leghari said the technology would allow authorities to disconnect targeted transformers instead of penalising thousands of paying consumers connected to an entire feeder.
He added that load shedding would continue on feeders where aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses reached 30% or more.
The minister said the government would take action against electricity theft and persistent non-payment as part of broader efforts to improve the performance of power distribution companies.
Earlier, the CAA project director briefed Leghari on the airport expansion and presented him with a commemorative shield.
