Trump backs $2.4bn investment proposal for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The administration of Donald Trump has backed a $2.4 billion investment proposal by a US firm to install advanced passenger security systems at major Pakistani airports, aimed at detecting criminals and transnational threats.

According to official documents, US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A Baker has expressed support for a proposal by Securiport to deploy Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems in Pakistan.

In a communication with Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence, Baker urged authorities to consider the proposal, stating that the system would enable secure data transfer from airlines to the government while ensuring Pakistan retains full ownership and custody of the data.

The proposal includes an investment of $2.4bn over a 25-year period, with Securiport offering to cover all upfront costs and recover them through a government-mandated passenger security surcharge. The company has also pledged to establish a local subsidiary and train over 1,000 Pakistani citizens in modern security technologies.

Under the plan, the system would be operated by the Federal Investigation Agency, providing an integrated, biometric-enabled border management framework capable of identifying high-risk travellers in real time.

The offer comes as Pakistan moves to implement automated border control systems, including e-gates equipped with biometric passport scanners and facial recognition technology, to reduce immigration clearance times.

However, parallel efforts by the Pakistan Airports Authority to install similar systems have drawn scrutiny, with the Senate Standing Committee on Defence raising concerns over transparency and compliance with procurement rules.

The committee has sought records related to the awarding of contracts after reports of potential irregularities, while Transparency International Pakistan has also flagged alleged violations of procurement regulations.

The US-backed proposal is being seen as a potential alternative that could fast-track deployment, though Pakistani authorities have not yet indicated whether they will accept the offer.