IBMS and the Modernisation of Pakistan’s Border Controls
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is preparing a major upgrade of Pakistan’s border management system, aiming to make immigration faster, more secure and more technology-driven. Mustafa Hameed Malik, Director of the FIA’s Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), has explained how the framework has evolved and outlined the next steps in a video shared on social media. He said IBMS plays a central role in strengthening immigration controls, improving coordination among government departments and supporting secure, data-based border management at airports and land crossings.
Malik noted that IBMS serves as the backbone of Pakistan’s immigration operations, linking passenger data, travel records and security watch lists. By integrating information from multiple agencies, the system helps immigration officers identify high-risk passengers and detect forged documents. The planned upgrades will add more automation and artificial intelligence, reducing manual work while tightening security checks.
E-Gates at Airports to Cut Immigration Time to 10 Seconds
As part of the modernisation drive, the FIA is installing electronic gates, or e-gates, at airports. These gates will allow eligible travellers to clear immigration on their own by scanning their passports, without having to stand in long queues at traditional counters. According to Malik, passengers will present their passports at the e-gates, where the system will automatically read and verify their details against IBMS records. The entire process is designed to work without human interaction, with a target processing time of around 10 seconds per passenger.
This change is expected to significantly reduce waiting times during peak travel periods, especially at busy international airports. Instead of relying only on manual stamping and document checks, the new system will combine passport scanning, database matching and automated gate control. Traditional counters will still operate for passengers who are not eligible or comfortable using e-gates, but the overall load on human staff should decrease.
How the AI-Powered E-Immigration Mobile App Will Work
Alongside e-gates, the FIA is developing an AI-powered e-immigration mobile application to further streamline the process and help prevent illegal immigration. Malik said the project reflects the vision of FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar, who has pushed for the use of artificial intelligence across FIA systems. Under the proposed model, travellers will download the app on their smartphones and enter their personal and travel details before they reach the airport.
Once the information is submitted, FIA systems will verify the data through official databases, including national identity card and passport records. After verification, machine learning tools will generate passenger profiles automatically, helping immigration authorities assess risk in advance and flag travellers who may require extra checks. By completing much of the data entry and validation ahead of time, the app will let genuine passengers move faster through immigration and boarding.
Malik explained that passengers will also be able to add their flight number and ticket details in advance using the mobile application. This means that when a traveller arrives at the airport, their data is already available in the Integrated Border Management System. Instead of filling out forms or answering basic questions at the counter, they can proceed directly to immigration, where the system will confirm their identity and travel details digitally. In many cases, this will allow them to skip long queues and complete formalities in a matter of seconds.
Risk Assessment, Illegal Immigration and Passenger Profiling
The FIA Immigration Department’s Risk Assessment Unit will continue to play a key role in this upgraded environment. Malik said the unit creates profiles of high-risk or flight-risk passengers—people who may try to leave the country through illegal channels such as human smuggling networks. With the help of AI-driven profiling and pre-arrival data, the unit will be better positioned to spot suspicious travel patterns and focus its attention on a smaller number of cases, without slowing down the process for ordinary passengers.
What Travellers Can Expect at Pakistani Airports
For travellers, these changes should bring a smoother and more predictable experience at Pakistani airports. Those who use the e-immigration mobile app and e-gates will be able to complete most steps before arriving at the terminal and clear immigration in roughly 10 seconds. Authorities hope that tighter data checks and smarter risk assessment will also make it harder for human smugglers and other criminal actors to exploit gaps in the system.
