KARACHI: The Supreme Court has directed the Civil Aviation Authority and other organisations to file their standard operating procedures along with relevant documents and reports for smooth facilitation of passengers at the country’s airports.

The bench was hearing a matter about inconvenience to passengers at airports. The officials of CAA, Customs, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Airport Security Force (ASF) contended that they have complied with the directives of the apex court, but sought further time to file a final compliance reports.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar said that the apex court had issued directions from time to time for smooth performance of duties and facilitation of passengers at airports of the country.

At the outset of the hearing, CAA officials stated that they had complied with the orders passed by the Supreme Court. However, they sought further time to file final concise statement along with all improvements and developments made in their system for smooth and better performance and facilitation of the passengers.

The SC directed them to submit the relevant documents and SOPs, which had been developed for smooth performance of duties.

The counsel for Pakistan Customs also submitted that directives of the apex court had been implemented as proper facilitation centres and scanners had been installed and requested for more time to file a concise statement along with pictures in this regard.

Similarly, the general manager of PIA Agha Abdul Sami along with law officer were in attendance and also argued that the order of top court have been put in places and a final compliance report will be submitted at the next hearing.

The officials of FIA contended that for the convenience of the passengers and to control the menace of illegal travel documents, human smuggling and entry/exit of undesirable elements, they have also put integrated boarder management system (IBMS) and machine readable passport system (MRPS) in place at airports. But they sought further time to file a fresh statement before next hearing along with specs and features of IBMS and MRPS.

ASF officials also stated that now, they were immediately handling the complaints, if received, on their counters at airports and ASF has introduced a complaint management system in 2019.

However, they also pleaded for time for final a concise statement showing the procedure for lodging the complaints.

It may be recalled that the then CJP Mian Saqib Nisar had taken a suo motu notice about inconvenience to the passengers in baggage handling and delayed flights and in March 2018.

Published in Dawn, january 1st, 2023