THIS is apropos reports about bogus bomb detectors being used at Pakistani airports. James McCormick, the British businessman responsible for selling this fake device, ADE-651, that has been banned all over the world, yet this device with an antenna continues to be used at all Pakistani airports, although we face terrorism threats and are engaged in Operation Zarb-i-Azb.

The irony is that this device is now being manufactured and sold by none other than our own Airports Security Force. With such blatant conflicts of interest going unchecked, security is bound to be compromised.

Profits of billions have blinded those who were deputed and paid for by the state to make our airports and passengers safer.

Pakistani airports have been declared red because of major security lapses, frequent bird hazards, etc., and require full focus to make them secure.

Yet the ASF has all the time to plan, build and market residential and commercial plots in a new housing society floated by them in Karachi.

One of the major factors which facilitate security violators is easy access to all our airports by mushrooming of residential housing societies and other commercial outlets around the periphery of airports in what should be a sterile zone.

The waste from these housing and commercial outlets is a major factor contributing to bird hazard, which has unacceptable high occurrence at our airports.

The tragedy is that this phoney ADE-651, nicknamed ‘Khoji’ is now being marketed by its new makers in Pakistan and used by the police, security guards, etc., deputed to guard roads, buildings, bridges and other important locations.

The sole purpose of creating these security agencies in Pakistan stands defeated if they were to indulge in irregularities, conflicts of interest and abusing their powers.

The sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of people who have died fighting terrorism or being its victim, will go in vain if greed of a few were to prevail.

M. Tariq

Lahore

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2016