A two-member Canadian team certified aviation security protocols at Pakistan’s largest airport in Karachi on Thursday, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
The team consisting of inspectors Barbara Durette and Abdel Tahir from Transport Canada—a Canadian government entity overseeing transportation policies and services—began their assessment at Jinnah International Airport earlier this week. The evaluation was supervised by Pakistan’s Aviation Security Director, Air Commodore (retired) Shahid Qadir.
The inspectors evaluated various security measures, including passenger and baggage screening, perimeter protection, cargo and catering security, and protocols for direct flights to Canada. They also monitored security measures for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Toronto, assessing access control, aircraft protection, and security procedures.
“The [Canadian] team expressed gratitude to PCAA for hosting them and commended the airport’s security protocols for aligning with international standards and best practices,” the PCAA stated.
This evaluation marks the fifth international assessment of Pakistan’s aviation security system in recent months. The PCAA had successfully passed all previous inspections, including an initial assessment by the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (UAE-GCAA) of Islamabad and Karachi airports, which concluded on July 5.
Pakistan’s aviation protocols have faced significant scrutiny since 2020 following a scandal where approximately 262 out of 860 active pilots were found to have obtained fake licenses, leading to the grounding of around 150 pilots from PIA and other carriers.
This scandal emerged after the tragic crash of PIA flight 8303 in Karachi, resulting in the suspension of PIA’s operations in the European Union (EU) and other regions and prompting calls for regulatory reforms to enhance safety standards and transparency.
