Flying out of Pakistan is set to become smoother as the country's authorities plan to install new smart gates at major airports. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has invited bids for the installation of e-gates at Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports.
The initiative aims to introduce a self-service immigration system, similar to those at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, to cut costs and enhance passenger satisfaction. This move will especially benefit the nearly 2 million Pakistani expatriates in the UAE, making their travel experience hassle-free.
"The project aims to modernize border control solutions, enabling a seamless immigration process while improving security at Pakistani airports,"
stated the CAA. The e-gates will be installed at both arrival and departure gates, utilizing top-tier technologies for passenger identity validation.
The UAE-Pakistan air corridor is among the busiest, with over 1.7 million Pakistanis residing in the UAE. In 2023, more than 230,000 Pakistanis moved to the UAE for better opportunities. The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE) and Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) reported that 862,625 workers went overseas for employment, marking a 4 percent increase.
The CAA highlighted that the new system would reduce the workload on manned immigration counters and establish a standardized automated process for document verification and personal authentication, thus maintaining border security and integrity. The scope of the project includes providing, installing, integrating, testing, and commissioning the e-gate systems, followed by their operation and maintenance.
Local and international companies interested in this initiative have been asked to submit their bids by August 13, 2024.
The UAE's major airlines – Emirates, Flydubai, Etihad, and Air Arabia – operate to top destinations in Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Multan. Recently, Flydubai added Islamabad and Lahore to its list of destinations.
News Source: Khaleej Times
