CAOP urges Karachi airport authorities to ease curbs



Police carrying a snap checking drive on Shahrah-e-Faisal road near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on November 13, 2024. —PPI
Police carrying a snap checking drive on Shahrah-e-Faisal highway close to the Jinnah Worldwide Airport in Karachi on November 13, 2024. —PPI

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Officers Affiliation of Pakistan (CAOP) has referred to as on the Karachi airport’s administration to rethink the brand new safety measures they not too long ago applied and prompt utilizing trendy expertise as an alternative to enhance safety.

Authorities on the airport have requested the guests to carry a ticket copy and their nationwide identification card whereas a specified variety of individuals could enter the airport premises to obtain or see off a passenger.

The event came about within the wake of a horrific assault on a Chinese language convoy that killed not less than two Chinese language nationals and injured quite a few others within the space close to the airport.

Following which, the authorities have additionally blocked a highway that results in the airport and established checkpoints on different routes.

Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. — Facebook/Jinnah International Airport/File
Jinnah Worldwide Airport in Karachi. — Fb/Jinnah Worldwide Airport/File

The highway from Mannequin Colony to Jinnah Terminal has been blocked, whereas checkpoints have been arrange on routes from Pehlwan Goth and Star Gate, including to the challenges for commuters already coping with extreme visitors congestion.

In his letter to the Pakistan Airport Authority’s Director Vigilance, CAOP Chairman Zarin Gul Durrani stated that whereas he absolutely helps strengthening airport safety, he believes that these measures could unintentionally complicate the expertise for passengers and their accompanying household and pals.

Safety protocols, he stated, ought to primarily deal with passenger security with out imposing pointless restrictions.

“The present strategy, which locations further necessities on these coming to obtain or ship off passengers, could in a roundabout way contribute to enhancing safety however as an alternative add inconvenience to common guests.”

It, Zaman stated, could be useful to focus safety efforts extra narrowly, making certain that they aim people who could pose an precise threat to airport safety.

He really helpful exploring superior safety applied sciences, similar to CCTV surveillance, biometric scanners, and AI-based risk detection programs to beef up safety “with out imposing additional constraints on passengers and their households”.

The CAOP chief stated the fashionable instruments might considerably improve the airport safety whereas retaining the method seamless for passengers and their greeters.

He additionally harassed on safety workers’s high-level coaching for correct dealing with of potential threats.

“Moreover, coaching safety personnel to deal with and reply to potential threats successfully is essential. Empowering the safety workers with superior coaching will assist guarantee they’re absolutely ready for any unexpected conditions, additional bolstering passenger security,” he maintained.