Lahore’s Walton Airport closes its doors forever

LAHORE – The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has issued a notification as Lahore’s oldest Walton Airport and Flying Club closed its doors forever after 103 years of operating in Punjab capital.

The federal cabinet approved the closure owing to potential safety risks at the existing site that may also be used to promote business activities in the near future.

According to the country’s top aviation officials, Walton Airport and Flying Club has now been completely evacuated and a business hub will now be constructed at the location.

A group of philanthropist aviators founded the Punjab Flying Club in 1930 and named it Northern Indian Flying Club later in 1932. It comprises 157.87 acres of land from the forest department in Village Rakh Kot Lakhpat and village Bhabara.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah landed for the first time in the new state of Pakistan at this aerodrome in 1947. It remained under operation as a passenger airport until the early 1960s.