Smart gates to simplify travel at major Pakistani airports

ISLAMABAD: Traveling out of Pakistan will soon be smoother as authorities plan to install new smart gates at the country’s major airports.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has invited companies to bid on installing e-gates at the main airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
These smart gates aim to make travel easier for Pakistanis and overseas Pakistanis living in the Middle East, UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, and Malaysia. They will also benefit international tourists visiting Pakistan for its snow-capped mountains, historical sites like Mohenjo Daro in Sindh, and Buddhist spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The CAA said the project will improve passenger satisfaction and cut costs by providing a self-service immigration system. The e-gates will be installed at the arrival and departure gates, using advanced technologies to validate passengers’ identities. This initiative is part of a broader effort to handle the increasing number of passengers and the recent expansion of airports.
“The project will modernise border control and improve security processing,” the CAA stated.
The e-gates will reduce the workload on manned immigration counters and create a standard automated immigration process, including document verification and personal authentication.