ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: The government has decided to re-activate provincial anti-smuggling committees to work out measures to eliminate the menace of smuggling.

Official sources told Dawn that the committees would be headed by customs collectors at the four provincial headquarters.

The committees would meet quarterly to analyze the steps being taken for reducing the flow of smuggling into the country, causing harm to the local industry.

According to the officials, the government would set up new joint check posts at nine different places to reduce the incidence of smuggling in the country. As a pilot project, a joint check post will be established in Kund (NWFP), which would start functioning within three months.

The check posts would be manned by different agencies currently checking smuggling.

It was decided that the check post would start profiling of smuggling sources and routes to control them effectively.

The decision was taken following the directive of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to work out a plan to counter smuggling.