Karachi Airport: PHMA says concerned at persistent mismanagement, prolonged delays

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) on Thursday expressed serious concerns over persistent mismanagement, inadequate facilities and prolonged delays at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi and said the situation was causing hardship to exporters and businesspersons and damaging the country’s image among foreign investors and visitors.

In a statement, Chairman PHMA Faisal Arshad Sheikh said it had received numerous complaints from exporters regarding inordinate delays during international departures and arrivals, caused by poor administration, lack of discipline and insufficient staffing at one of the country’s busiest airports. The association said foreign business visitors were also facing inconvenience due to the absence of dedicated counters and the non-availability of 24/7 fast-track or special immigration facilities for businesspersons and taxpayers.

He said that in the name of security checks, all passengers — including exporters and frequent tax paying travellers — are subjected to long queues and hours long waiting times, as no separate arrangements exist at entry and exit points. It further pointed out that airport parking has become overcrowded due to unauthorised and unnecessary vehicles, resulting in traffic deadlocks, particularly during peak hours when multiple flights arrive or depart. The association stressed the urgent need for an additional parking area to streamline access to the airport.

The chairman PHMA said that for several months the Pakistan Airports Authority had failed to address these issues, presenting a bleak picture of Karachi in particular and Pakistan in general to international visitors. He described the prevailing conditions at the country’s main gateway as reflective of indiscipline, mismanagement and deteriorating standards.

Referring to the prime minister’s recent announcement to issue diplomatic passports to top exporters and taxpayers and to recognize them as ambassadors-at large to promote exports, Faisal Arshad Sheikh said the treatment meted out to exporters at international airport hubs was both disappointing and embarrassing. He urged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take immediate notice of the situation and announce fully automated, dedicated fast-track international immigration counters with 24/7 staffing, along with separate entry and exit gates for exporters, businesspersons and taxpayers.

He said association members had repeatedly raised concerns over long queues at immigration and security checkpoints, insufficient seating in waiting areas, non-functional air-conditioning systems, poor cleanliness in restrooms and inefficient baggage handling services. Elderly passengers and families with children, he added, have suffered particular discomfort due to these shortcomings. He also complained that airport staff were unnecessarily demanding hard copies of air tickets, hotel bookings and CNICs or NICOPs, particularly from passengers travelling to the UAE and beyond, despite such requirements generally being checked at destination countries. Previously, OK-to-Board visas and scanned visa stickers were sufficient, he said.

Faisal Arshad Sheikh further said that if strict checks were unavoidable for certain segments of society, these should be conducted well in advance in a separate area, rather than causing congestion at the main entry gates. He added that a lack of proper guidance and assistance for international passengers, coupled with unreliable flight information systems, was creating confusion and further delays.

As Pakistan’s primary gateway for international and domestic travel, Karachi Airport plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions among visitors and investors, the PHMA chairman said, warning that the current situation risked damaging the country’s aviation reputation. He said PHMA had written letters and sent reminders to the Director General of the Pakistan Airports Authority seeking a meeting to discuss facilitation for exporters, but to no avail.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026