The Federal Ombudsman’s inspection team conducted a surprise visit to Islamabad International Airport on to review public complaints and assess the performance of various departments working at the facility. The visit came on the direction of Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, who took notice of increasing complaints regarding airport management and passenger handling.
The inspection team was led by Adviser Major General (Retd) Haroon Sikandar Pasha, and included Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis Dr. Inam-ul-Haq Javed and Consultant Parvez Haleem Rajput. The team inspected national and international lounges, the luggage area, immigration counters, the “Joint Facilitation Desk” established by the Ombudsman’s Office, and other relevant departments to assess their functioning and response to public grievances.
According to the team, most complaints from outbound passengers were related to delays at immigration, harassment by personnel from the FIA, ASF, ANF, and Customs, and lack of attention to their concerns. Complaints from incoming passengers, particularly overseas Pakistanis, included delayed or missing luggage.
Some passengers arriving from Dubai told the inspection team that they had been waiting for their luggage for three days, despite repeated visits to the airport, and that the PIA administration had not provided a clear response. The team immediately summoned the concerned officers and ensured that the passengers received their luggage.
In another instance, two Umrah pilgrims complained that they had not been informed about their flight schedule. The team intervened and resolved the issue on the spot. It also directed the airport authorities to immediately notify passengers via phone or SMS in case of flight delays or cancellations to prevent unnecessary inconvenience.
During the visit, the team interacted with passengers, listened to their grievances, and instructed airport officials to take immediate remedial measures. The inspection team also reviewed the implementation status of recommendations made by earlier inspection missions, including the increase in facilitation counters and establishment of dedicated counters for senior citizens.
Officials informed the team that the number of service counters had been increased as per earlier directions. The team further instructed the creation of separate counters for wheelchair users, diplomats, and parliamentarians to ensure smooth processing.
Inspecting the Joint Facilitation Desk established for overseas Pakistanis, the team reviewed complaint registers and obtained details from representatives of 12 federal agencies stationed there. It directed all agency heads to provide maximum assistance to passengers, especially expatriates.
A preliminary report of the visit has been submitted to the Federal Ombudsman, who subsequently issued directives to ensure biometric attendance of all officials posted at facilitation desks. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and Airport Manager were instructed to implement these measures, while the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) has been assigned to monitor compliance.
