KARACHI: Pakistan’s civil aviation regulator on Tuesday said all officers in its aviation security directorate have been internationally certified as security inspectors, following a UK-sponsored training program conducted by instructors qualified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The certification, delivered by the UK Department for Transport (DfT), marks a key step in boosting Pakistan’s compliance with global aviation security standards. Officials said the move is expected to strengthen oversight, improve regulatory capability and bolster Pakistan’s standing under ICAO’s global audit regime.

“This training will play a pivotal role in enhancing the capabilities of our national aviation security inspectors and help increase compliance with international standards,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said in a statement.

The training, conducted in Pakistan by ICAO-qualified UK instructors, officially recognizes all officers in the CAA’s Directorate of Aviation Security as certified Aviation Security Inspectors, a designation that enables them to conduct safety and compliance assessments in line with international protocols.

Pakistan has previously ranked high in South Asia on ICAO’s Effective Implementation Rating, a global benchmark that measures a country’s adherence to international aviation safety and security practices.

The assessment is conducted under ICAO’s Universal Security Audit Program (USAP), which evaluates how well member states implement aviation security oversight systems.

The PCAA informed it was also expanding safety inspector training through international academic placements, adding two officers had been selected for fully sponsored postgraduate programs in France and South Korea, secured through ongoing coordination with both countries’ civil aviation authorities.