UAE team certifies aviation security at Islamabad and Karachi airports as meeting “international standards”
ISLAMABAD: Aviation security at airports in Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan’s north and south-east meets international standards, a team from the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (UAE-GCAA) said in an official statement on Friday after completing an inspection aimed at improving security protocols in the country.
Pakistan’s aviation regulations faced intense scrutiny in 2020 following a scandal in which some 262 of 860 active pilots were alleged to have held fake licenses, leading to the grounding of around 150 pilots from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other airlines.
The revelations come in the wake of the tragic crash of PIA Flight 8303 in Karachi, which resulted in the suspension of PIA’s operations in the EU and elsewhere and prompted calls for regulatory reforms to improve safety standards and transparency.
A two-member official delegation from the UAE, led by GCAA Senior Director Abdullah Al Kaabi, arrived in Pakistan last month for a week-long tour of two aviation facilities in the country. They visited the federal capital followed by a visit to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
“Safety protocols are in line with international standards and current best practices,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) quoted Al Kabi as saying, adding that the “UAE-GCAA team’s visit is now complete.”
The two-member delegation inspected various parts of the airport, including passenger and baggage screening, as well as cargo and catering facilities, the statement said, adding that they also inspected direct flights from the UAE, the flights’ ground operations and the cargo agent.
The team also reviewed security access to the airport and aircraft security checks. Members expressed satisfaction with the security protocols and commended the efforts of airport security forces, cargo companies and other stakeholders.
The PCAA explained that the UAE-GCAA visit is the first of its kind and is a continuation of an evaluation carried out by the UK Department for Transport earlier this year.
Pakistan and the UAE have enjoyed friendly relations for decades, and several airlines operate multiple flights daily between Pakistan’s major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, and the UAE’s Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai.
