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Pakistan Opens New Airport In Capital After Years Of Delays


Aerobridges at the newly built Islamabad International Airport ahead of its official opening on the outskirts of Islamabad
Aerobridges at the newly built Islamabad International Airport ahead of its official opening on the outskirts of Islamabad

A new and long-awaited airport has been inaugurated in Pakistan' capital, Islamabad, after years of delays.

The new airport, which replaces the old and congested Benazir Bhutto airport, was opened in the presence of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The New International Islamabad Airport can handle 15 million passengers annually and has space for further expansion.

The airport, located some 15 kilometers from the capital, was first suggested in the 1980s and has taken more than a decade to build. The most recent delay in the airport's opening occurred last month.

The old airport, notorious for its long lines, was voted the worst in the world in 2014 by an airport review website.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters

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