Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved the expansion of Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, in line with the two airports’ masterplans, and set out a plan to turn Karachi into an air cargo hub.
The directions came at a meeting in Islamabad chaired by the prime minister and attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Khawaja Asif, Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema and Attaullah Tarar, and other senior officials, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The meeting was briefed on a survey recently completed by an international firm on travel facilities at major airports. The prime minister directed that there be no compromise on quality, that the projects meet international requirements, and that expansion-linked reforms be put through third-party validation.
Making passenger facilitation the top priority, he directed that facilities be improved to international standards, including by engaging internationally renowned institutions. He also called for regular staff training, better coordination among airport agencies, and the best available catering, saying there would be no compromise on food and beverage quality.
Officials told the meeting that automated border management systems, known as e-gates, are being installed at major airports, and that work is under way on an air cargo village aimed at making Karachi an air cargo hub. The expansion of the runway at Jinnah International Airport has already been completed, the meeting was told.
The Federal Investigation Agency has increased staff and counters, a meet-and-greet service has started at Islamabad airport, and pre-departure desks have been set up at major airports to guide travellers in good time, according to the statement. The meeting was also briefed on upgradation work at airports across the country by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The existing aviation institution in Hyderabad is being improved to establish an international-standard aviation university, with work to begin by February 2028, the meeting was informed. Earlier this month, the prime minister had also ordered the installation of smart scanners at all international airports to ease travel for passengers.
