CM Orders Measures To Declare 'No-Bird Zones' For Aircraft Safety In Lahore

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Jul, 2025) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in a decisive step to enhance aviation safety, has directed the launch of a comprehensive operation to eliminate bird hazards around Lahore’s airports.

The initiative aims to protect passenger aircraft from bird strikes by declaring specific areas as “No-Bird Zones” and eliminating activities that attract flocks of birds.

To implement this measure, the CM has mobilized the district administration, the Punjab Wildlife Department, and the Environmental Protection Authority. She also instructed Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to activate Punjab’s first dedicated Wildlife Force. The government has decided to shut down all illegal slaughterhouses and poultry farms operating near airports and has ordered strict enforcement of regulations on garbage disposal by businesses, particularly bakeries and food establishments in sensitive areas.

CM Maryam Nawaz said that no business activity which poses a risk of attracting birds will be allowed near airports. In line with this directive, the Punjab government has issued a formal notification declaring that poultry farms, bakeries, and slaughterhouses lacking environmental protection measures will be banned. The notification further mandates the proper disposal of animal hides and forbids open dumping practices. The use of lidded garbage bins near airports has been made compulsory.

The notification also calls for the elimination of rooftop grain scattering, pigeon breeding, and large-scale pigeon flying in residential areas.

Feeding of birds in temples and public places will also be restricted, with action to be taken under the Punjab Wildlife Act against violators. Wildlife Rangers have been directed to begin operations without delay.

The government has identified several high-risk localities to begin the campaign, including Lahore Eastern Bypass, Manawan Hospital Dahoriwala, PKLI, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Ichhra Lal, and Chah Miran. These areas have officially been designated as “No-Bird Zones,” where all bird-attracting activities will be curtailed.

Highlighting the importance of this step, the government notification points out that bird collisions with aircraft typically occur during take-off, landing, or low-altitude flight, and that over 90 percent of such incidents happen below 3,000 feet, as noted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The notification stresses the need for full enforcement of the Punjab Wildlife Act, warning that arrests, fines, and punishments will be imposed for non-compliance.

Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that these measures are vital to ensuring the safety of air travel and protecting countless human lives. She noted that air safety fencing and the establishment of no-bird zones are internationally recognized strategies to prevent aviation accidents.