Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has banned low-grade staffers from using smartphones as a security measure at the Islamabad International Airport.
However, they may still use feature or keypad cell phones inside the airport’s premises, Pakistani English daily DAWN reported on Thursday.
The airport management said in a directive on Tuesday that it was being observed with great concern that these staff workers had been using smartphones openly without any restriction, which might lead to any untoward incident.
It was not ideal from a security standpoint to take images or videos of the airport's sensitive sections and post them on TikTok or other social media platforms, it said, adding that miscreants or smugglers would use these employees to carry out their evil plans or engage in unlawful activities.
The airport management said it was instructed by the PCAA to restrict low-level staffers from bringing or using smartphones to the airport and instead encourage them to use simple keypad cell phones during work to avoid any untoward incident at the airport.
The airport management also directed the sectional heads of agencies and airlines working at the airport to ensure strict compliance in this regard.
A senior official at the airport said the employees were concerned about the ban on smartphone usage, claiming that it would affect their productivity and lead to arguments with security staff.
Earlier, the airport management pointed out some security lapses while citing a security audit conducted earlier this year and asked Rawalpindi’s district administration to take appropriate measures for the safety and security of the airport.
