Commuters Face Delays Due to Heightened Karachi Airport Security
Weeks after a suicide attack near Karachi airport that killed two Chinese nationals, authorities have intensified security around the airport, leading to road closures and inconvenience for commuters.
According to police officials, security has been bolstered with checkpoints now set up on routes from Star Gate and Pehlwan Goth to Jinnah Terminal.
Additionally, the road from Model Colony to Jinnah Terminal has been shut, with traffic redirected to Sharea Faisal. This development follows the Pakistan Airports Authority’s (PAA) announcement to implement stricter entry protocols as part of enhanced security measures at Karachi’s main airport. These measures come in the wake of last month’s suicide bombing that killed three people, including two Chinese engineers, and injured at least 16 others.
New rules require that those arriving at the airport to see off or receive passengers must present a copy of the passenger’s ticket at security checkpoints, sources indicated.
The PAA’s directives also state that a maximum of four people may accompany a passenger, and entry will be denied without the ticket copy. Furthermore, individuals meeting arriving passengers must carry their national identity cards for verification at security points before entering the airport.
The road closures have disrupted traffic on the Model Colony road and created difficulties for airline staff, passengers, and airport employees in reaching their destination.
Separately, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar announced that the mastermind behind the airport attack, Javed alias Sami, and two accomplices, including a woman named Gul Nisa, had been arrested on the RCD Highway connecting Karachi to Quetta. Speaking at a press conference, the minister confirmed these arrests as significant progress in the investigation of the deadly incident.
