KARACHI, March 17: Pakistan and a number of developing countries are expected to demand at the international fora - World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO ) - the reciprocal security measures from the US and developed countries in international trade with African, Asian and South American countries.

"There are reports of dumping of radio-active material and hazardous industrial waste by the European, US and Japanese based multinationals on the shores of Asian, African and South American countries," a well placed government official told Dawn.

He recalled that in 1989 a European multinational was about to dump such hazardous cargo at Karachi on a dubious import order of a company in the Export Processing Zone of Karachi.

Thanks to the prompt notice taken by the international NGOs and Pakistani journalists this was well averted. But what happened to the cargo and the ship that brought cargo or what action was taken against the importing company in KEPZ remains a mystery till this day.

In 80s, an Italian company dumped radio active material on the shores of Nigeria. There are many incidents in which multinationals and governments of developed countries are involved in exposing people of small and developing countries to hazardous cargo.

The multinationals have been supplying substandard, defective and even hazardous goods ranging from dubious drugs, insecticides, chemicals, food items and machines and equipment to cheat the developing countries.

Import of 150,000 tons of highly infected wheat from Australia recently and earlier the attempt to supply sick sheep to Pakistan should be considered bio-terrorism by the international community.

The official shared his loud thinking in wake of reports that from July 2004, the US authorities are enforcing a rigid and comprehensive International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS) and is putting into operation Container Security Initiative for sea trade.

This warrants introduction of a set of new laws and amendment and updating of at least two dozen existing laws besides framing of rules and regulations of operations of the various government institutions.

The US and five other countries have adopted a strict sea trade security code that demands 24 hours advance information of the cargo manifest to the US authorities before its loading on the ship at the port of origin, a thorough pre-screening of the cargo, transmission of information about ship and staff to the US authorities. These measures have been taken after 9/11 and later adopted by the G8 summit at Canada in 2002 to make sea trade secure from terrorism.

"It is a no concessional no flexible code of security for Pakistan," Engineer M.A. Jabbar, the Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry informed Dawn.

"This code operates from next July-hardly 105 days from now-and Pakistan's inability to comply with will have terrible adverse effects on our export trade with US and other major countries like EU, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Malaysia and Singapore," he said.

Jabbar has been assigned by the FPCCI to create awareness among the businessmen of the WTO regulations and on the steps to be taken for complying with the trade security code. He has been involved in seminars and is active in the government committee of National Trade and Transport Facilitation (NTTFC).

Trade facilitation, the FPCCI leader said, was also one of the Singapore development issue which requires harmonisation of business governance and introduction of new and amendment of existing laws.

"The standardisation and the laws have to start with from manufacturing floor to leaving the territorial jurisdiction of Pakistan," he pointed out.

Law making process in Pakistan is hostage to government's rule of business under which draft of laws are first sent to Law Ministry for vetting, seeking concurrence of the relevant ministries, departments and agencies before it finally comes up before the cabinet and eventually placed on the table of the parliament.

Jabbar, therefore, suggest that NTTFC having more than two dozen members drawn from various government ministries and agencies should come out with a document for a fast track legislation.

A three-member Task Force on customs is reported to have given its set of recommendations to the Central Board of Revenue where these are being considered. The National Logistics Cells has been assigned the job of purchasing three scanners. These scanners will be used to screen the containers.

One scanner cost about $30 million. It is doubtful if the NLC that is the biggest state controlled cargo transport company has any skill and experience of procuring such sophisticated equipment. Till this day no tender has been floated for these scanners. The customs will need training.

A lot more needs to be done before July next when as much as two-third of Pakistan's export cargo worth about $7.50 to 8 billion will be at stake. Textile remains Pakistan's biggest export to the US, EU and other countries.

"I have no information on compliance with any trade security code," the chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Waqar Monnoo told Dawn on Wednesday. Business leaders blame government for careless attitude when it comes to creating awareness in trade and industry of fast changing developments in international business.

But then officials also blame businessmen of being ignorant. "All information on WTO and US trade security code is available on the internet," an official said and asked what stopped businessmen and trade bodies to visit the websites and educate themselves.