15/02/2026
Traveling through airports in Pakistan can sometimes feel less like a journey and more like an endurance test.
Your passport is checked at the entrance, then again at customs, followed by anti-narcotics, the airline counter, immigration counter, immigration officer, boarding gate — and even once more before stepping into the tunnel that leads to the aircraft.
By the time you finally take your seat, your documents have likely been examined more times than you can count.
What stands out most is the manual scrutiny at certain checkpoints. An FIA officer studies your face, then your passport, then your ticket — then back to your face — repeating the process multiple times for several minutes. While diligence in security is absolutely necessary, the experience often feels less about efficiency and more about redundancy.
At a time when the government is reportedly investing nearly $1 billion into Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation, one cannot help but reflect on the contrast between ambition and on-ground ex*****on.
Technology is meant to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and restore dignity to the traveler experience — not just exist in policy announcements.
Security and respect can coexist. Efficiency and vigilance are not mutually exclusive. The real progress will be when our systems reflect both.
