Karachi – The Pakistan Air Force Museum has reopened for recreational activities after it was shut down for public in May this year when the Pakistan Naval Station (PNS) Mehran came under a brazen attack by extremist militants.
The authorities claim to have allowed public activities in the vicinity of the naval base after taking specific security measures. “The museum was reopened on 20th of Ramazan; however, private functions started taking place after Eid,” said Director Museum PAF Group Captain Muhammad Usman Ghani.
He said the air force and the navy had tightened the security before allowing public access to the museum. “Both the forces have taken their own safety measures before reopening the museum and allowing public events in its vicinity,” he said.
A number of militants sneaked into the Mehran naval base on May 22 and engaged the military commandos for over 16 hours. Over 18 military personnel were killed in the attack.
As part of security measures, one of the two entrances to the museum has been closed. The PNS Mehran entrance is the only point to enter the museum. “Since the base is extended to the entire Sharae Faisal, navy intelligence personnel regularly patrol the whole area while cameras have been installed and check-points established to avoid any untoward incident. As for the area of the museum is concerned, we have extended the boundary walls with barbed wires,” he added.
According to the director of the museum, the Mehran naval aviation base, where law enforcers fought around six attackers for 16 hours in May this year, rests half a kilometre from the PAF Museum. “So, activities at the museum don’t pose any threat to the base.”
He said the aviation museum came under public domain, and people should have access to it. He dispelled the impression that any commercial activities take place there, saying such activities were allowed to generate enough funds to maintain the museum. “We allow these functions so that we generate funds for its maintenance, since the air force does not pay for the museum. Anywhere in the world, aviation museums generate funds on their own.”
He said 90 percent of the visitors come to visit the museum while the rest come there to attend public events on the Museum premises. Such events are allowed at certain spots and certain times, he added.
“Over 125,000 visitors come to see the museum. A visitor is the person who comes to see the place. Others, who come to attend, say, a wedding ceremony are known to us as guests,” Ghani explained.
The museum authorities have also offered in-door private functions in one of the hangars at the museum. The museum currently has three hangars, out of which only one is functional. Its structure dates back to 1917. “It houses the air force gallery,” said Group Captain Ghani.
He said the second hangar is being renovated to house older fighter jets which can no longer be put on display out in the open for security reasons. “Out-door functions involve a lot of transportation, which at times, affects the museum gardens. Therefore, we will reserve one hangar for in-door private functions, which will later be used to house the older fighter planes.”
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