PM Shehbaz approves Lahore and Karachi airport expansion; Karachi runway work complete

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday 29 October approved the expansion of Lahore and Karachi airports under their master plans, and told officials to finish the work on time and to international standards. He chaired a meeting in Islamabad on airport services, Business Recorder reported, and ordered third-party checks on the reforms and the hiring of "internationally renowned firms" to improve facilities for travellers.

No cost, capacity figure or completion date was announced for either expansion. Officials briefed the meeting on the planning and construction timelines, but those were not made public.

What was decided for Lahore and Karachi

• Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and Jinnah International Airport, Karachi will be expanded under their master plans.
• Karachi's runway expansion is complete, the meeting was told.
• An air cargo village is being built in Karachi, meant to turn the city into an air cargo hub.
• Third-party validation of the airport reforms, and outside firms brought in to improve passenger facilities.

What else the meeting heard

• 14 airports reactivated: the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has brought 14 airports back into use over the past year to restore domestic flights. They were not named.
• E-gates: an automated border control system is being installed at major airports.
• Meet and greet at Islamabad: a meet-and-greet service has started for passengers at Islamabad airport.
• FIA pre-departure desks have been set up at major airports to guide passengers before immigration.
• Aviation university in Hyderabad: the existing aviation institute in Hyderabad will be upgraded into an international-standard aviation university, with work to start by February 2028.

What it means if you fly

Nothing changes at Lahore or Karachi this winter: expansion under a master plan is a multi-year building job, and no dates were given. The changes you are more likely to notice soon are the e-gates and the FIA pre-departure desks, which are aimed at shorter queues at immigration, and the smart baggage scanners the prime minister ordered at all international airports earlier this month (our report).

For travellers to the Gulf and the UK, where most of Pakistan's international traffic goes, the cost side matters as much as the terminals: check today's rates for the riyal, dirham and pound before you change money, and our passport fee calculator if your passport needs renewing.

Upgrades are also under way at smaller airports: Dera Ghazi Khan airport is due to take international flights by January 2028 after a Rs 5.5 billion upgrade (our report).