Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday visited Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and directed authorities to speed up immigration procedures and improve facilities for passengers.
During his visit, Naqvi inspected immigration counters and spoke with airport staff about the procedures being followed and the difficulties passengers were facing. He also interacted with travellers to get firsthand information about the time required for immigration clearance.
Passengers told the minister that the process was taking around 30 minutes and urged authorities to improve arrangements to reduce waiting times.
All immigration counters to remain operational
Taking notice of the complaints, Naqvi directed officials to accelerate the immigration process and ensure that all immigration counters remain operational so passengers do not face unnecessary delays.
The interior minister said passengers with incomplete travel documents would not be allowed to proceed with their journeys. However, he made it clear that travellers carrying complete and valid documents should not be stopped from travelling without a legitimate reason.
Naqvi also said modern technology was making immigration procedures easier and more efficient. At the same time, he stressed that strict action would continue against individuals attempting to travel using fake or fraudulent documents.
Action ordered against agent over money demand
During the airport visit, a passenger complained that an agent had allegedly demanded money from him.
Naqvi took immediate notice of the complaint and referred the matter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director. He also directed authorities to arrest the agent allegedly involved in the incident.
The move reflects the government’s stated intention to address complaints involving passengers and prevent illegal practices at airports.
Advanced screening system planned
The government has also been working on measures to modernise airport screening and reduce delays. In April, a high-level meeting chaired by Naqvi approved the installation of advanced screening equipment at airports across the country.
Officials agreed to establish joint counters and introduce a single-point checking mechanism to streamline the process. The proposed system is aimed at reducing repeated checks, long queues and congestion at busy airports.
“A unified checking system on a single scanner will save significant time,” Naqvi had said during the meeting, stressing that stronger coordination among relevant institutions was necessary to reduce overcrowding and waiting times.
Focus on faster and smoother passenger services
Naqvi reiterated the government’s commitment to improving passenger services through technology and better coordination among airport authorities and security agencies.
The latest directives come as Pakistani airports continue to handle large numbers of domestic and international travellers. Authorities are therefore seeking to balance faster processing with strict checks to ensure that passengers meet all legal and documentation requirements before travelling.
The interior minister said the objective was to provide the public with modern, fast and convenient travel facilities while maintaining effective immigration and security controls.
