Daily Times

The United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (UAE-GCAA) team has testified aviation security at Pakistan’s northern and southeastern airports of Islamabad and Karachi meets international standards, an official statement said on Friday, after completing its inspection aimed at improving security protocols in the country.

Pakistan’s aviation protocols faced significant scrutiny in 2020 following a scandal where approximately 262 out of 860 active pilots were said to have obtained fake licenses, leading to the grounding of around 150 pilots from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other carriers.

This revelation came in the wake of the tragic crash of PIA Flight 8303 in Karachi, resulting in the suspension of PIA’s operations in the EU and other regions and prompting calls for regulatory reforms to improve safety standards and transparency. The two-member official delegation from the UAE, led by a senior GCAA director, Abdullah Al Kaabi, arrived in Pakistan last month for a week-long assessment of the two aviation facilities in the country. They visited the federal capital before continuing their visit to the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.

“Security protocols are in line with international standards and prevailing best practices,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) quoted Al Kaabi as saying. “The visit of the UAE-GCAA team has been completed.”

The statement said the two-member delegation inspected various areas at the airports including passenger and baggage screening apart from the cargo and catering facilities. It added that they also reviewed direct flights coming from the UAE, ground handling and cargo agents of the flight.

The team also examined security access to airports and aircraft security checks. Its members expressed satisfaction with the security protocols and applauded the workings of Airport Security Force, cargo companies and other stakeholders. The PCAA said the UAE-GCAA visit was the first of its kind, describing it as a continuation of the assessments conducted by the United Kingdom Department of Transport this year. Pakistan and the UAE enjoy decades-old fraternal relations. Several airlines operate multiple flights per day connecting Pakistan’s major cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar to the UAE’s Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.