By: Engineer Bakht Said Yousafzai
Pakistan’s major airports Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Faisalabad are gateways to our homeland and symbols of national identity. Every day, they welcome thousands of travelers, especially overseas Pakistanis returning home with excitement and hope for respect, comfort, and safety.
Unfortunately, many are met with disappointment the moment they step outside the terminal. Groups of men rush toward passengers, forcibly grab their luggage, and then demand money often insisting on foreign currency such as pounds, euros, or riyals. They pretend to be “helpers,” but in truth, they are exploiting travelers’ emotions for personal gain.
When passengers refuse to pay, some of these individuals become rude or even intimidating. It’s a humiliating and distressing experience especially for those who have long dreamed of returning home after years abroad.
What makes this situation even more painful is the clear contrast with airports abroad. Take Manchester Airport, for example: one of the busiest airports in the UK, yet remarkably organized, efficient, and peaceful. Passengers simply take a trolley by inserting a coin or a pound, collect their luggage, and make their way directly to their car without anyone interfering, begging, or harassing them. Everything is self-service, clean, and well-managed.
The experience at Manchester Airport reflects respect, discipline, and professionalism, values every modern airport should uphold. Travelers leave with a sense of order and dignity, knowing their privacy and peace are respected. Sadly, that same sense of respect and system is often missing at many Pakistani airports.
This issue goes beyond inconvenience, it damages Pakistan’s global image. Airports form the first and last impression of any country. When visitors face chaos or harassment at our gates, it sends a message of disorder and negligence.
Our faith and culture both emphasize hospitality and respect, yet at our airports, visitors often experience the opposite. It is time for the Civil Aviation Authority, FIA, and airport management to take real action; remove unauthorized individuals, tighten security, and ensure that every traveler feels safe and respected.
This is not just a complaint,it’s a sincere call for reform. When we protect the dignity of travelers, we protect the dignity of Pakistan. Every citizen, from Islamabad to Karachi, Peshawar to Quetta, deserves an airport experience that reflects order, hospitality, and national pride.
We must strengthen our systems, provide proper signage and self-service facilities, and strictly prohibit anyone from harassing travelers. Only then can Pakistan’s airports meet international standards and truly represent who we are a nation of warmth, hospitality, and honor.
