Taking strong exception to persistent complaints of substandard quality of services, mismanagement, negligence and maladministration at the Islamabad International Airport, a Wafaqi Mohtasib Inspection Team visiting the airport today, instructed the Airport Authorities to put their act together and take immediate steps for bringing about qualitative improvement in all areas.

Headed by Senior Advisor, Wafaqi Mohtasib Office, Mr. Ahmad Farooq, the Team went round various sections and areas of the airport including passenger lounges, immigration counters and also interacted with the departing and arriving passengers. The Team particularly called for a more dynamic and vibrant role on part of the officers and officials performing duties at the “One Window Facilitation Desks (OWFDs)” established at all International Airports of the country with a view to ensuring on the spot redressal of the complaints. These included officials from 12 key government agencies including FIA, NADRA, Civil Aviation, OPF and ANF.

The Team noticed a sort of disconnect and lack of coordination among various government agencies and organizations performing duties at the airport, which may hamper their smooth functioning and may result into any untoward incident. It also asked the ASF to take tangible steps for improving coordination amongst all concerned. It found that the washrooms lacked sanitation and no one was on duty at the counter which allocate wheelchairs to senior citizens. It also directed that senior citizens, the weak and infirm may be extended due care and courtesy and facilitated in all respects. The Team once again directed that no passenger should be offloaded without assigning solid reasons of doing so in writing. Proper record must be maintained of all such cases, it observed.

The Team further instructed that all out efforts may be made to facilitate the Pakistani diaspora during their visit to the homeland in view of their pivotal role in boosting the country’s economy through the foreign remittances besides services in other areas of national importance. During the course of interaction with the incoming and outgoing passengers, it was found out that a majority of complaints pertained to long delays in immigration, mishandling and occasional loss of luggage and highhandedness on part of the some of the immigration officials and other authorities.

The Inspection Team expressed its displeasure over continued negligence and non-implementation on its earlier recommendations regarding seating arrangements near the cargo centre and opening of a bank branch nearby to facilitate businessmen and the general public. It instructed that needful may be done within one week. The people in general complained that the airport canteen and other stores/shops there are charging exorbitantly and their rates are much higher than the market.

The Inspection Team included Maj. Gen. (R) Haroon Sikandar Pasha, Advisor, Wafaqi Mohtasib Office, Pervaiz Haleem Rajput, Consultant, Wafaqi Mohtasib Office and Khalid Sial, Consultant, Wafaqi Mohtasib Office.