PM approves airport facilitation measures
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday approved a set of measures to ease the difficulties faced by passengers at the country’s airports and ordered the immediate installation of smart scanners at all international airports. The decision came at a review meeting on the customs system in Islamabad.
Under the new regime, baggage will be screened through smart scanners at airports across Pakistan, replacing manual inspection by customs officials. The prime minister directed that the scanners be imported immediately by air and installed without delay.
He also ordered customs officials to stop subjecting passengers to unnecessary questioning. “Passenger convenience and comfort are the top priority,” he said, warning that no one would be allowed to harass travellers.
Smart scanners for airports across Pakistan to end manual checks
The prime minister said the existing method of screening passenger baggage was outdated and must be abandoned. Internationally prevalent automated systems will be introduced for baggage screening instead.
Staff deployed for other airport services will also be trained in line with international standards. Courtesy and respect for human dignity must be made key components of service delivery, the prime minister said.
The move addresses a long-standing complaint of air travellers, who have often described aggressive questioning and arbitrary offloading at immigration and customs counters. The government has in recent months taken several steps to tighten airport procedures while protecting genuine passengers.
FBR praised, tax evaders warned
Shehbaz Sharif commended the new enforcement system introduced by Customs, giving credit to the FBR chairman and his team. He said every possible measure must be taken to prevent revenue evasion.
Tax-paying businesses are worthy of respect, he said, while a zero-tolerance policy will apply to tax evaders. “We are custodians of the poor public’s money and will make every effort to safeguard it,” he added.
The FBR has been expanding its use of technology to widen the tax net, including AI-based monitoring of tax returns (FBR rolls out AI monitoring of tax returns). The board also faces a year-end deadline for income tax filings (FBR sets tax return deadline for 2026).
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the movement of goods and customs oversight at airports and seaports across the country. He also received a briefing on the performance of the Customs Enforcement Force and the measures taken to curb the smuggling of petroleum products.
Customs duties remain a live policy issue: the Economic Coordination Committee recently raised import duty on bike parts and tyres, sparking a debate over tariff policy (ECC raises duty on bike parts to 31pc). Separately, the government has been mapping non-compliant shops for a fixed tax regime (Govt maps non-compliant shops for fixed tax).
Frequently asked questions
What did the prime minister order about airport scanners?
PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered the immediate import and installation of smart scanners at all international airports, replacing manual baggage inspection by customs officials.
Why are manual customs checks being replaced?
The prime minister said the existing baggage-screening procedures were outdated. Automated smart scanners meet international standards and reduce opportunities for harassment of passengers.
What did the PM say about harassing passengers?
He ordered customs officials to stop unnecessary questioning of passengers, saying passenger convenience and comfort are the top priority and no one will be allowed to harass travellers.
What else was decided at the customs review meeting?
Airport staff will be trained to international standards, the new Customs enforcement system was commended, and a zero-tolerance policy was announced against tax evaders.
