NEW YORK, Nov 27: The United States customs put 58 international airlines, including PIA, on notice to provide Advance Passenger Information Lists or their carriers and passengers would face intense scrutiny and inspections beginning this week.

In a letter to 58 carriers, Customs Commissioner Robert Bonner warned of heightened inspections for those that would not comply with by Thursday, even though a new law gives the airlines until next year to start providing the required information.

The American authorities now want advance information on the incoming flights to the several United States airports.

A PIA spokesman told Dawn that the airline would comply with the request made by the US customs. “PIA is working on it,” he added.

But given the fact that all US-bound passengers are required to submit four copies of passport and visa information to the airline which also feeds it into the computer, such a list could easily be given to the US authorities by PIA.

Many international airlines already offer the information to the customs. But Bonner is urging immediate compliance with the Advance Passenger Information System, which was signed law last week and gives carriers 60 days to comply.

The letter was sent to 58 carriers, including Saudi Arabian Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Aeroflot (Russian) and Air China.

The US customs demand passenger’s name, family name, date of birth, passport number, date of issue and expiry.

“We recognize that the vast majority of travellers are not a threat to the United States,” Bonner said in the letter.

“However, we believe that in the wake of Sept 11, international flights pose a serious national security risk to the United States if carriers do not provide comprehensive and accurate APIS data,” Bonner said.

“Accordingly, for international flights where such data is not provided in advance to the US customs service by the carrier, it will be necessary for customs to address the security risk that such flights pose by, among other things, inspecting all hand-carried and checked baggage on every flight arriving in the United States.”