KARACHI: A four-member team of auditors from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has completed its assessment of Pakistan’s aviation security systems, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Monday.

The team of international auditors, led by Oscar Annabel Rubio, had arrived at Karachi on Feb 18 to conduct its 10-day full-scale audit. The audit, which aimed at enhancing the standards of aviation security through a process of regular evaluation and oversight mechanism, was completed on Feb 27.

In a briefing held at the CAA headquarters, the visiting team provided an overview of the full-scale audit and congratulated the authority’s director general on the significant improvements made, particularly following the recent enactment of the CAA Act 2023.

“The team was pleased to see that CAA not only surpassed the new 2023 ICAO benchmark effortlessly, but also came close to achieving the ICAO goals set for 2030,” said a CAA press release.

During the assessment, the audit team primarily focused on evaluating the CAA Aviation Security Directorate for five days. Subsequently, for the following four days, they examined the implementation of security protocols in various aviation security areas at Jinnah International Airport, including the airport itself, the Airport Security Force (ASF), domestic and international airlines, cargo companies, ground handling companies, catering companies, etc.

Additionally, the team visited the Passport Office and received a briefing, and expressed their satisfaction with what they observed. They also interacted with the FIA immigration staff and reviewed their procedures.

This comprehensive assessment took place after 2019, which was not a full-scale audit.

The ICAO USAP-CMA Audit Team expressed their deep appreciation for the warm and welcoming hospitality they experienced in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, an ASF press release said that its core responsibilities such as, access control mechanisms, screening processes, perimeter defence strategies, security training initiatives, and adherence to established rules, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and protocol questions (PQs) were some of the main areas assessed.

The chief security officer of the ASF provided an in-depth briefing to the audit team on aviation security measures, and the ASF’s proficiency and preparedness in managing emergency scenarios at the airport.

“The auditors meticulously examined the adherence to ICAO’s Security and Passenger Facilitation Standards and Recommended Practices, monitored ongoing security operations, inspected access control and passenger screening measures, visited the CCTV surveillance centres, and conducted interviews with the staff.

It said that the audit team commended ASF’s aviation security framework during the concluding ceremony held on Feb 27.

They affirmed that Pakistan has not merely met but exceeded the newly established ICAO benchmarks for 2023. Furthermore, the security strategies implemented by the ASF were considered as closely aligned with the ICAO’s standards for 2030, heralding a significant accolade for Pakistan, it added.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2024