Quetta airport runway project wins FIDIC Asia-Pacific award

Pakistan Airports Authority’s landmark project — Quetta International Airport Runway Reconstruction — has received the FIDIC Asia Pacific Award for Engineering Excellence, a statement issued by the authority said on Tuesday.

The FIDIC Asia-Pacific Awards honour excellence in consulting engineering across the region, spotlighting outstanding projects, emerging leaders, and industry strength, according to its website. Winners are announced at the Asia Pacific Infrastructure Conference in three categories: Powerhouse Awards, Outstanding Project Awards, and Emerging Leaders Awards.

The award to the Quetta International Airport Runway Reconstruction p[oject was conferred at the FIDIC Asia Pacific Conference 2025 held from July 15-17 in Islamabad.

“This distinguished accolade recognises the successful delivery of Pakistan’s longest and structurally largest rigid runway, executed in sectional phases on an operational joint-user airfield,” the PAA statement said.

“Remarkably, the project was delivered with zero claims, zero safety incidents, and no closure of operations, setting a new benchmark in aviation infrastructure development.”

The award was jointly conferred upon the PAA and the project consultants in “recognition of their effective collaboration, technical expertise, and commitment to safety and efficiency throughout the project lifecycle.”

The upgraded runway was completed at an estimated cost of Rs5 billion, and received its first flight PK-3250 from Islamabad on May 31, 2023.

Further underscoring the project’s significance, Palomino Elvira, a FIDIC-accredited international mediator and advisor on global construction contracts, extended an invitation to the PAA to present the project as a case study at upcoming FIDIC conferences in South Africa and France later this year, the PAA said.

This recognition marks a proud moment for Pakistan’s aviation and engineering sectors, placing PAA’s excellence on a global stage, the statement added.