Three Pakistani airports to introduce e-gates

Dubai: Electronic gates at immigration controls will soon be launched at three of Pakistan’s leading airports: Islamabad International Airport, Karachi Jinnah International Airport, and Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) and is aimed at modernising and streamlining airport operations.

While the anticipated e-gates were first announced in April 2025, authorities recently completed the second phase of this project.

Here’s a rundown on the latest advancement.

E-gates will bring a much needed refresh to Pakistan’s commercial aviation sector. In fact, this new addition is especially significant for the three selected airports, as they are among the busiest nationwide and handle the most international traffic.

The overall goal of this initiative is to make immigration processing more efficient for passengers, while also enhancing security at airports.

“This is a transformative step towards digitised, secure, and passenger-centric airport operations in Pakistan. Our goal is to bring Pakistani airports in line with global best practices in smart border management,” said a senior PAA official, as reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan.

To meet the adequate standards, the e-gates will be equipped with a biometric-based, automated security system that aligns with the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The PAA has partnered with M2P Consulting to support the execution of this project. The German global management consulting firm specialises in travel, transportation, and logistics industries, with a specific focus on airline and airport services.

In total, the project is predicted to be completed within 24 months. The team is tracking the e-gate progress in three key stages: planning, designing, and implementing.

Most recently, the PAA announced that the design phase of the project has concluded following a three-day technical workshop in Karachi, with local and German stakeholders present.

Now, the third and final stage of implementation will begin shortly. Currently, the PAA noted that their next step will be the preparation of the respective technical specifications and tender documents.

Once initiated, the rollout of the e-gates is expected to begin with Islamabad’s airport, followed by Lahore and Karachi.