Pakistan plans one-window airport clearance with e-gates, FIA-linked security system

Pakistan is moving to introduce a one-window airport clearance system using e-gates and integrated scanning to reduce passenger wait times and improve security coordination.

As per media reports, the plan was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, with participation from officials of the interior and defence ministries, as well as agencies including the Federal Investigation Agency and the Anti-Narcotics Force.

Authorities agreed to replace multiple checkpoints with a unified system where passengers undergo a single screening process through joint counters and shared scanners operated by all relevant agencies.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at easing congestion at airports, which handled 25.4 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, marking a 12% increase year-on-year.

As part of the upgrade, modern baggage and document scanners will be installed, while biometric e-gates using facial recognition and passport scanning will be introduced in phases.

The system is expected to reduce immigration processing time from three to five minutes to under 45 seconds per passenger, with initial rollout planned at Islamabad International Airport.

Authorities said the e-gates will be linked to databases maintained by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), including exit control lists, passenger records and Interpol systems, to identify high-risk travellers in real time.

The meeting also reviewed measures to strengthen enforcement against human smuggling, with officials noting that over 1,200 such attempts were intercepted at airports in 2025.