islamabad airport: Custom officials

[ekumunng]

Re: islamabad airport: Custom officials

@brummiebird

AA guys,
I’ve done it, I’ve booked seats on Emirates for myself and my 2 daughters flying to islamabad. My husband cant get the time off from work so i’m travelling on my own with the children. This is my first visit after nearly 11 years and I’m very very nervous.
I would really appreciate some advice on the process of getting through customs etc. Do the officials make everybody open up their cases? do they pick on the most “western” looking desis or on anyone who has the misfortune of making eye contact with them? My dad has said,
if i get pulled over I should make sure I have a £10 note stashed in my passport!!! I really don’t want to go down this route ie bribing an official the moment I land in the motherland especially with 2 very inquisitive children wanting to know what i’m upto
Any advice and guidance would be appreciated

Islamabad airport (in reality Rawalpindi airport) is most simple airport of a capital city in the world. One simple building. No long walkways, easy to enter and easy to exit.

Normally there are no random checkings, there is one red channel and one green channel, as soon as you take your luggage walk towards exit which is straight ahead you can see public standing (for red channel you have to turn right, if I remember correctly).

I went there last year (in august) and when I was going out one emirates guy asked me for my baggage claim card, checked whether I’m taking out my own luggage by comparing the tag on my luggage, but it’s airline thing and he was checking everyone to make sure they are taking their own luggage.

Its bad to bribe anyway, if you are taking anything that needs to be declared or custom duty must be paid then do the right thing. Honesty is the best policy, so put it in practice. No one can force you to pay him/her some “gift”.