UK’s Department for Transport to conduct audit of Pakistani airports

 

UK’s Department for Transport to conduct audit of Pakistani airports

 

A British delegation will conduct the scrutiny of Pakistan’s three major international airports. 

The delegation from the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) would arrive in Pakistan on May 30 to conduct security audit of Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, Jinnah International Airport Karachi and Islamabad International Airport.

The delegation will conduct audit of various departments including airport security forces, flight kitchens, and ground handling. It will also monitor the screening of passengers’ belongings, the transfer of luggage onto the aircraft, and other security equipment.

During the assessment, the airport managers will brief the delegation about the facilities provided by the airports and any loopholes.

The core purpose of the delegation’s visit is to examine the security of direct flights heading from Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi to the UK. 

The British delegation was scheduled to visit Pakistan on July 10; however, the visit has been brought forward to May 30.

In March, authorities in Pakistan announced that the three above mentioned airports would be run on public-private partnership. 

The development comes months after railways minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique, revealed that the federal government was negotiating with Doha and would also engage the UAE to outsource operations of its Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports.