Transit in Lahore or Karachi
 

Hi,

Can someone knowledgeable please advise on whether it's possible to transit from one international flight to another at either Lahore or Karachi without passing through immigration/customs? I'm a US citizen thinking of flying from Colombo on a Sri Lankan non-stop to either Karachi or Lahore, arriving late in the evening (e.g., 2300), and then connecting on to an Etihad flight to AUH leaving around 0335 or so. Would I need a visa? Is that sort of transit possible if I'm on two separate tickets (setting aside the risks and consequences of a misconnect)?

Thanks!

Since it's 2 tickets, unless the two airlines you're flying with have partnerships and you book both tickets on the same itinerary, they will be treated as 2 separate tickets. You'll have to go through immigration with your luggage, then go to Etihad counter and check in your baggage again. Pakistan does have a transfer visa for US citizen, probably just have to pay.

Hope it helps!

Thanks! I probably wouldn't be checking in bags. Still, are there no airline desks in the transit area? If not, then I really would have a problem if for some reason I can't check in online for the AUH leg. The airlines would be Sri Lankan and Emirates.

First I want to precise that I have never been to Pakistan and so I have no knowledge of any local specificities. But, being a very experienced traveler, I think your plan is a recipe for disaster. Pakistan is certainly not a country a westerner would like to experience an irrop, and with your plan to travel on separate tickets and likely without guaranteed possibility to do OLCI for the connecting flight...
Add to this that if US citizens require a visa to enter Pakistan (very likely the case), the first airline you will fly can deny you boarding because for them you just fly to Pakistan (they don't have your connecting flight in the PNR) and you don't have the proper visa in your passport.
So, if I were you, I would avoid such a plan.