International Travelers Vaccination Centre to be set up at Lahore airport

LAHORE: An International Travelers Vaccination Centre is set to be established at Allama Iqbal International Airport to facilitate passengers required to undergo vaccination before traveling abroad, as part of the federal government’s initiative to make vaccination mandatory for international travelers. According to official sources in NADRA Lahore, dedicated counters will also be established at the airport to facilitate the vaccination and documentation process for departing passengers. The initiative is expected to introduce digital vaccination certificates covering a range of diseases, including influenza, meningitis and polio, the sources said. The certificates would enable travelers to carry verifiable digital proof of their vaccination status when required by destination countries or health authorities. NADRA already provides vaccine certificates for polio, yellow fever and COVID-19, while its digital-identity infrastructure supports secure, digitally verifiable credentials. Under the proposed system, vaccination records would be linked with citizens’ National Identity Card (CNIC) numbers, enabling authorities to maintain and retrieve immunisation information through a centralised digital framework. The sources said the integration of vaccination data with national identity records would pave the way for a comprehensive digital health record for Pakistani citizens. The initiative would also reduce reliance on paper-based certificates and make verification of vaccination records easier for international travelers. The move is expected to streamline pre-travel health requirements at the airport while strengthening Pakistan’s digital health and identity infrastructure. NADRA’s existing digital services allow citizens to access and share digitally verifiable credentials through secure systems, with information sharing subject to user consent.

Read full story on Business Recorder