RAWALPINDI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has decided to install 29 modern baggage scanning machines and 20 walkthrough gates at major international airports of Pakistan as part of its measures to ensure world-class security.

A spokesman for the CAA said the state-of-the-art baggage scanning machines will be installed at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports.

Installation of 29 modern baggage scanning machines will be completed by November or December this year, he said. In addition, more than 30 modern walk-through gates will also be installed at major airports of the country, he added.

For that purpose, he said, tenders would be issued for the purchase of walk-through gates equipped with modern technology as 20 such gates will be installed at the airports, while 10 would be available when needed.

On Aug 31, a state-of-the-art baggage scanning machine was installed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi as part of a growing cooperation in aviation security between Pakistan and UK civil aviation authorities. It was inaugurated UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott at a ceremony.

CAA Director General Khaqan Murtaza, Director Security and Vigilance Shahid Qadir, senior officials of Jinnah International Airport and ASF attended the ceremony.

Talking to the media, the British high commissioner expressed optimism about resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and the UK, stating that technical talks between the civil aviation authorities of both countries have been completed.

Ms Marriott said the modern security machine will expedite the baggage scanning process for passengers travelling to the UK and other Western countries.

On the occasion, Khaqan Murtaza hinted at positive outcomes from recently held talks with the European Commission in Brussels, indicating that good news regarding Pakistani airlines’ flights to the UK and Europe may be expected soon.

He said a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) team is expected to visit Pakistan in November this year, with promising results expected.

Retired Air Commodore Shahid Qadir, the CAA director of security and vigilance, highlighted that the 20 per cent extra security procedures previously applied to flights bound for the UK, the EU and other Western countries would no longer be necessary, saving time for everyone involved.

After Karachi, another state-of-the-art baggage scanning machine was also installed at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2023