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WORLD NEWSTuesday 1 September 2015
Afghan airfields built for war seen as economic hubs Indian scholar who
criticized idol worship
LYNNE O’DONNELL transfer rather than close existing fields, said Qas- of the year. The CAAA has
Associated Press the airfields was made in sim Rahimi, spokesman for expressed confidence it will murdered at home
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Af- conjunction with President the Civil Aviation Authority be ready to take on the re-
ghanistan (AP) — It is a Ashraf Ghani’s govern- of Afghanistan, itself a new sponsibility starting in Janu- KATY DAIGLE
striking vision for a coun- ment after he took power operation. He said that with ary. Associated Press
try torn to pieces by war last year, in the belief they the establishment of the Corruption is another issue. NEW DELHI (AP) — Following
and jihadi insurrection: a could help “jump start the CAAA, regulation and ser- “Corruption will increase if a knock at his front door,
series of airports, built by economy.” vice have improved dra- these airports are under the an Indian scholar greeted
NATO to fight the Taliban, Military teams are upgrad- matically, and that change control of the government, two unidentified visitors
are being handed over to ing them ahead of an in- has fueled a leap in both and the government does and was shot in the head
the Afghan government ternational roadshow or- passenger numbers and not have the capacity to and the chest, becoming
in a civil aviation upgrade the third critic of religious
that optimists hope will fuel Mohammad Daud Sultanzoy, a former lawmaker overseeing the handover of military airports for superstition to be killed in
not only regional trade but the Afghan government, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Kabul, Afghani- the country in three years.
even tourism. stan. A series of airports, built by NATO to fight the Taliban, are being handed over to the Afghan The attack on Malleshap-
The eight airfields, worth government in a civil aviation upgrade that optimists hope will fuel not only regional trade but pa M. Kalburgi sent a chill
an estimated $2 billion, even tourism. through Indian civil society,
are scattered around a stoking worries about reli-
landlocked and moun- (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) gious extremism and intol-
tainous land whose lack erance and prompting an
of rail transport or decent ganized by the Afghan revenues. Up to 45,000 pas- run these airports,” said outpouring of condemna-
roads makes almost every and U.S. governments due sengers now fly domesti- former Transport and Civil tion as the 77-year-old au-
intercity journey a perilous to be held in Dubai next cally each month, already Aviation Minister Daoud Ali thor and academic was
adventure — even without month. a sharp rise compared to Najafi. cremated Monday in his
factoring in attacks from Under an agreement with 12,000 monthly in 2013. The He also cited a lack of hometown of Dharwad, in
Taliban militants. the United States, only the sector generated $2 billion trained staff, as many who the southern Indian state of
Ex-lawmaker Mohammad top-drawer facilities are in revenue last year, and had been trained had left Karnataka.
Daud Sultanzoy, who is being transferred, while Rahimi estimates a 25-per- the industry for higher in- “This incident should not
overseeing the project for small, remote military bases cent rise this year. comes in the private sec- have happened. It is highly
the government, said the and airfields are being dis- Challenges aplenty stand tor. Privatization of the new condemnable,” Karnata-
airfields — self-contained mantled. in the way of further prog- fields will be key, he said. ka Chief Minister Siddara-
cities that housed thou- Afghanistan has an avia- ress. Among the modern airports maiah told reporters.
sands of foreign troops tion infrastructure in place One is the country’s inex- on offer is one at Kandahar Authorities are searching
who are now pulling out already, but it is rickety. perience with air traffic in the south, with a 20-kilo- for two men who accord-
— will amount to a latter- Many of the country’s 27 control. Afghanistan will meter (12-mile) perimeter. ing to Kalburgi’s daughter
day “Silk Road” that “will airports — four of them take over air traffic con- At the height of the Afghan arrived on a motorcycle
connect Afghanistan in- international — are little trol starting in 2016; the U.S. war, in 2009-2010, Kanda- at their home Sunday,
ternally and to South Asia more than a shack at the government ended its con- har Air Field was one of the knocked on the door and
and Central Asia, and be- end of a tarmac. tract in June after control- world’s busiest in terms of fired two shots that killed
yond.” About 130 domestic and in- ling Afghan air space since frequency, with an aircraft her father, Inspector S.S.
The billions of people living ternational flights land and 2001, and Japan’s govern- taking off or landing every Hiremath said. He declined
in Asia and the Middle East take off weekly in these ment will run it to the end minute.q to give further details
“can constitute a huge about the attack.
number of tourists and re- Police are investigating
lated other activities: car- whether Kalburgi’s mur-
go, passenger and export/ der is connected to death
import,” Sultanzoy said. threats he received last
Pessimists will have little year from angry right-wing
trouble imagining the Tal- Hindu groups after he criti-
iban trying to shoot down cized idol worship and su-
planes as they land, but perstitious beliefs by Hindus.
officials say the militants He was provided police se-
do not currently have that curity after the threats but
ability, making air travel a it was removed about two
reasonable and safe op- weeks ago at the scholar’s
tion. request, police said.
U.S. Maj. Gen. Todd Se- The attack was widely con-
monite, who oversees $5 demned.
billion in funding to Af- “Everyone has the right to
ghanistan’s security sec- express his opinion,” actor
tor, said the decision to and director Girish Karnad
said. “If this grows in Karna-
taka, we are in trouble.”q
