Airport authorities directed not to carry out body search of judges, spouses

KARACHI: The Ministry of Aviation has directed the airport authorities across the country against body searching of serving judges and their spouses on the directive of the Supreme Court, Geo News reported on Sunday. 

The Ministry of Aviation has directed the Airport Security Force (ASF) director general to exempt the judges including the chief justice of Pakistan and their spouses from body search at airports.

“[...] Secretary Aviation has been pleased to exempt spouses of serving judges and Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan from body search at all airports,” read a notification issued by the aviation ministry, dated October 12.

On December 16, The News reported that Pakistan was in talks with a United Arab Emirates (UAE) company for installing e-gates at the Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports for self-immigration services similar to developed countries.

Airport sources had said the installation of e-gates at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, Lahore's Allama Iqbal Airport and Islamabad International Airport was under consideration to expedite the immigration service for passengers of developed countries.

Like the airports of Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dubai and other developed countries, passengers at the three major airports of Pakistan would be able to avoid the hassle of queues and will be able to easily sail through the automated self-service immigration barriers.

According to the immigration sources, only the passengers having an e-passport will be able to use the e-gates facility.