Saudi Team to Conduct Security Audit of Seven Major Pakistani Airports

ISLAMABAD — In a move aimed at strengthening aviation security cooperation, a delegation from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will conduct a comprehensive security audit at seven international airports across Pakistan next month, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

The Saudi audit will cover airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Multan, with the evaluation scheduled to begin in August 2025, PCAA spokesperson Shahid Qadir confirmed.

> “The Saudi aviation security team is set to arrive in August and will be working closely with the PCAA’s Directorate of Aviation Security (AvSec),” Qadir told Media. “Coordination is already underway between the Saudi and Pakistani aviation authorities.”

This will be the second such assessment by GACA, following a successful audit conducted in 2023, during which Saudi authorities expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s aviation security practices involving stakeholders such as the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), Airport Security Force (ASF), and various airline and ground service operators.

The Saudi audit comes amid notable progress in Pakistan’s aviation security standards. As per the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Pakistan secured an 86.73% score in its Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP)—significantly above the global average of 71% and India’s 73%.

The strong performance follows structural reforms including the separation of the Pakistan Airports Authority from the PCAA and enactment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act, which has bolstered institutional efficiency and regulatory compliance.

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