Canada to conduct flights, airports security audit in Pakistan

KARACHI: A delegation of Transport Canada will visit Pakistan in December to conduct a flight and airport security audit, ARY News reported on Friday.

Canada is expected to conduct a security audit of direct flights and airports in Pakistan in December.

The Transport Canada delegation will arrive in Karachi in the first week of December and audit the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) direct flights to Canada and airport security arrangements.

The visit of Transport Canada’s two-member delegation will start on December 4 from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

The high-ups from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) will brief the Canadian delegation regarding the security measures and bifurcation of the institution.

Additionally, the foreign delegation will also inspect the PIA aircraft, airport security, cargo handling, flight kitchen, ground handling and other departments.

The upcoming visit of the Transport Canada delegation aims to check security measures of the direct flights to Canada from the major airports including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The delegation will also visit the CAA’s joint search baggage counters. Sources added that the delegation will inspect the process of passengers’ luggage screening, cargo handling and other security equipment.

A few days ago, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had clarified that its flight operations to Canada are normal as per schedule.

The national flag carrier issued a clarification after it was reported that the PIA plane was grounded over non-payment of dues.

Sources told ARY News that PIA flight PK 790 was stopped in Canada on ground handling and fuel company complaints.

However, a PIA spokesperson said the ground handling company’s dues of $200,000 have been cleared.

Pakistan has also set expectations high for the restoration of direct flight operations in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe after the upcoming visits of their aviation audit teams.

A delegation from the British safety agency, Department for Transport (DfT), will visit Pakistan at the end of October.

After a three-year ban, the national carrier is expected to be allowed to resume direct flights to European countries after getting clearance from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).