KARACHI: Senior Adviser to Federal Ombudsman Secretariat Regional Office Karachi, Syed Anwar Hyder, directed the concerned authorities to take measures for renovation of the Jinnah International Airport and enhance human resource for ensuring better and swift facilities to passengers.
He while presiding over a meeting during visit of Jinnah International Airport Karachi said that JIAP was an important international airport of the country catering thousands of national and international passengers on daily basis therefore it was essential to renovate the present structure to maximize facilities.
People from entire provinces of Sindh and Balochistan and areas of south Punjab heavily depended on JIAP and load of passengers as well as people coming along with them to bid farewell to or welcome them have being increased manifold in comparison to the designed structure while structure and facilities were also wearing by passage of time, he observed and stressed on immediate steps for repair and renovation at JIAP.
The senior adviser said that space outside the main building was not sufficient for the people who had to stay there for any reason and proper arrangements were required in the regard as well.
He pointed out that despite of sufficient number of counters at the airport long queues of passengers were observed at emigration and overseas Pakistanis counters due to shortage of staff and cumbersome process of some legal formalities.
Therefore, more staff must be deputed to keep all the counters functional particularly in peak hours while emigration and overseas department should set up an office at or near airport premises so that protector requirement of passengers traveling on education plus work visa could be met, he suggested adding that a number of passengers particularly the students departing abroad face enormous difficulty and delay in departure due to the procedural requirements.
Expatriates- both workers and students- are very important as they contribute significantly in economic strength and development of the country and they must be facilitated in every possible manner, he maintained.
The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat would forward its recommendations in the regard to all the concerned agencies for remedial measures, he said and urged local officials of all agencies to write down to higher authorities their day to day experiences and recommendations for improvement of services as any complaint by a passenger was not only associated with a particular agency or department but it shapes up image of the country.
Syd Anwar Hyder appreciated officers and personnel of Airport Security Force, Airport management, FIA, Customs and other relevant agencies and organization and remarked that all the agencies were working in coordination, dedication and hard work. Continuation and further improvement in services would not only earn a good name for Pakistan but also ensure further facilitation of passengers.
He called for setting up a special counter for persons with disabilities, senior citizens and persons having low literacy to fast track the check in and boarding processes for them. The senior adviser also directed to improve external security arrangements in surroundings of the airport and medical facilities and strict monitoring of eateries to ensure hygiene practices.
The manager JIAP Imran Khan and officials of ASF, FIA, Customs and other relevant departments and agencies briefed the senior advisor in the meeting.
Earlier, the senior adviser to Federal Ombudsman flanked with concerned officials and FOS regional office’s focal person to media Taqi Muhammad Soomro inspected different sections of the airport and counters and reviewed the facilities being provided to the passengers there.
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