Verification check: US gives security equipment to Customs

ISLAMABAD: The United States handed over Pakistan Customs the equipment to strengthen its capacity to check the flow of precursor materials which can be used for developing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Richard Olson, on Thursday handed over the vehicles and equipment to Pakistani authorities aimed at monitoring chemicals of all kinds to stop their usage in making IEDs. The equipment will strengthen the capacity of 80 Pakistani teams that will conduct verification checks countrywide. The handed over equipment includes 80 pick-up trucks — each costing Rs4.5 million — 160 body armours; over 10,000 chemical test kits; five electronic hand-held chemical analysis units — each costing Rs5 million — cameras, binoculars and gloves.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2014.