17 July 2004	Saturday	28 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, July 16: Pakistan has accepted a proposal of the Bush Administration to urgently install a non-intrusive Electronic Scanning Equipment at all ports of entry/exits to check terrorism and illegal trade activities.

Sources told Dawn here on Friday that as a first step six pieces of scanner equipment were being procured for installation at Port Qasim and Karachi airport. The new systems would be procured under federal government Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocation for financial year 2004- 05.

Pakistan has been told to fulfil the requirements of Customs and Security Regimes of the USA and Europe by immediately installing the non-intrusive scanning equipment. The government has agreed to initially provide $8 million to get the new equipment installed at all the ports of entry/exits.

Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, sources said, has approved the US proposal and directed the officials concerned including those of the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to expedite the proposal.

In the post Sept 11 trade scenario, World Custom Organization (WCO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) have re- defined the risk management as per revised Kyoto Convention.

The high point of the new policy is Custom Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. Under the policy the "1972 Custom Convention as containers" has been updated to emphasize use of technology and automation of customs procedures, by evolving the concept of smart containers and Non-Intrusive Electronic Scanning.

WCO's guidelines now form the basis of working the World Shipping Council (WSC), International Mass Retail Association (IMRA) and National Industrial Transportation League (NITL).

The new Container Security Initiatives (CSI) are rapidly gaining currency in the US and the Europe fright handling and management procedures. These development have created an urgency with the government of Pakistan to quickly become interactive with the new concept now becoming prevalent, in order to safeguard its own volumes of trade with the USA, Europe and other developed countries.

It was said that the installation of scanners for non- intrusive inspections has become mandatory for customs and tax levy by the CBR. The conditionalities of the WTO as well as the stringent inspection regimes by the Home Land Security Commission of the US makes it essential that the out-bound cargo, specially for the US and Europe is screened by electronic scanners.

Being cognizant of the changing realities of security and inspection in post Sept 11 scenario, the CBR has undertaken the project of installing electronic scanner devices at all ports of entry and exit in Pakistan.

The sources said that the installation of the scanners would improve the tax collection and would build confidence of foreign traders for authenticated scanning of cargo.