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Arab News
11-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
European aviation team in Islamabad to upgrade security standards after EU ban lifted
ISLAMABAD: A team from the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday to provide specialized security training and certification to Pakistani aviation inspectors, an official from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said on Sunday. Europe's aviation regulator barred Pakistani airlines in June 2020 from operating in European airspace over concerns that Pakistan's aviation authorities were failing to meet international safety standards. The ban was lifted in November 2024. ECAC, a grouping of the EU and 17 other countries, is a European aviation policy forum focused on safety and security. The PCAA requested it to train its staff after the resumption of flights to the EU in January. 'The ECAC team is arriving in Pakistan tomorrow [Monday] to conduct training of our inspectors on two key areas of Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) and Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD),' PCAA Director of Aviation Security Shahid Qadir told Arab News. 'The training aims to enhance their ability to inspect explosive detection machines as well as guide the handlers of detection dogs on key focus areas and essential elements to ensure the highest standards of inspection.' Qadir said the PCAA is committed to meeting international standards and ensuring that the credentials of Pakistani inspectors align with those required in Europe and the US. The two-member ECAC team will conduct a four-day training program at Islamabad International Airport, where 12 aviation security compliance inspectors are expected to participate. 'The two-member ECAC team will conduct a four-day training at Islamabad International Airport, where twelve of our aviation security regulatory inspectors will receive the training,' Qadir said. 'They will conduct the training and certify the inspectors upon its completion.' The training is expected to reinforce Pakistan's international credibility, as aviation security is the most frequently audited area in international oversight and the first thing regulators review is the profile of inspectors, the PCAA official added. 'When they see the courses, training, and certifications our inspectors have completed, they recognize that we meet international standards.'
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
European Civil Aviation team to train Pakistan airport staff for first time
Civil Aviation Authority is not conducting the privatisation transaction to hand over three international airports. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article A European Civil Aviation team is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week to provide, for the first time, specialised security training and certification to airport regulators, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The two-member team, dispatched on the directive of the European Union, will train aviation security personnel at Islamabad Airport, Express News reported. The sessions will focus on meeting international standards, particularly in the areas of Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) and Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD). A CAA spokesperson confirmed the initiative aims to align Pakistan's aviation security protocols with globally recognised benchmarks, enhancing overall airport safety. 'This is a significant milestone in our efforts to bring aviation security in Pakistan up to international standards,' the spokesperson said. Last year, the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) officially lifted the suspension on PIA and granted authorisation for Airblue to operate flights to Europe, marking a significant milestone for Pakistan's aviation sector. This development restores direct air links between Pakistan and European destinations, following a ban that had been in place since 2020. Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the news, stating that the lifting of the suspension and the new authorisation for Airblue was made possible due to focused efforts by the Ministry of Aviation to strengthen the Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and improve safety oversight in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
