Govt to install body scanners at Lahore airport

ISLAMABAD: As 40 per cent of Afghanistan’s opiates are smuggled to foreign countries using Pakistan as a transit route, the government has decided to install scanners donated by Saudi Arabia at Lahore airport.

The initiative comes ahead of the resumption of flights between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.



Although poppy cultivation in Pakistan has been controlled to a great extent, the country remains a key transit route for drugs produced in Afghanistan. According to the Narcotics Control Division over 40 per cent of Afghan opiates were shipped through Pakistan.

The Narcotics Control Division (NCD) informed Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in its June 28 meeting held on, that three sets of body scanners of total value around Rs48.2 million donated by Saudi Arabia arrived at Karachi Port on April 17.  The equipment was awaiting clearance from Federal Board of Revenue.

Saudi Arabia had donated these containers to Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to enhance its operational capabilities. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were cooperating against trafficking in narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.



Officials familiar with the development said that the office of prime minister had desired to ensure that no embarrassing situation emerged for Pakistan because of laxity on the part of staff or ineffectual operating procedures in the wake of resumption of flight operations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2016.