Pakistans khaki establishment must decide whether security of citizens of Pakistan is the objective, or their priority is welfare and housing projects of its personnel. All major airports at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and Islamabad have had residences constructed within the no-construction zone at all these airports posing a threat to safety of airline passengers. Every time one of these wide bodied Jumbo aircraft takes off, lives of over 400 passengers is being jeopardized because of criminal greed of few.The construction of new town houses and particularly Askari project, right on the fence of new Allama Iqbal International Airport at Lahore, jeopardizes the security of citizens and foreigners who travel by airlines that take off and land within a stones throw away from these residences. There are rules made by ICAO which prohibit such construction within a sterile zone that extends from 5km to 10km around airport periphery. This rule has been deliberately and criminally violated by both Cantonment Board and CAA Pakistan. Why should army welfare housing projects be built on the fencing of an international airport. Taking cue from this unauthorized construction, private residential complexes have started construction near Lahore airport new terminal area within 5 Km corridor next to Metro.The CAA Pakistan, which has been monopolized by retired uniformed officers is guilty because its officials stood to gain from such residential welfare projects. Construction of such houses also adds to bird hazard activity that already poses a threat to safety of aircrafts. Issecurity of thestate and its citizens to be compromised, so that welfare housing projects can be built near airports, because they have an attractive real estate value. Have we not learnt any lessons from the security lapses at Faisal Air Base and PNS Mehran because of the proximity of residential projects that have mushroomed there with permission of cantonment boards dominated by men in khaki. SHAHZAD KHALIL