During his visit to Islamabads Fruit and Vegetable Market following Wednesday’s blast, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan criticised the role of the previous government in the purchase of equipment, especially scanners for the security of the federal capital.

The previous government had purchased four scanners at a cost of Rs1 billion, the minister said, adding that only two scanners reached Pakistan and the whereabouts of the remaining two are still not known.

After the Marriott blast on September 20, 2008 the capital’s Red Zone was sealed and the city administration suggested the government to bring down entry points to the capital from 160 to 30 or 40 and install scanners and detectors.

Keeping this in view, the then government decided to purchase scanners and install CCTV cameras at 21 entry points. The cost of the project – National Improvised Vehicle Entry System (NIVES) - was estimated at Rs950 million.

The two scanners were given to the capital police, but from the period April 2009 till date no vehicle carrying explosives or weapons was detected by the scanners. Later one of the scanners was handed over to Rangers in Karachi in 2011 on the directives of the former interior minister, Rehman Malik.

Since the installation of scanners, 10 major terrorism incidents took place in the capital. These took place at the barracks of Frontier Constabulary in April 2009, Rescue 15 in June 2009, World Food Programme Office in October 2009, International Islamic University Islamabad in October 2009, at a shrine in Shakrial in December 2009, Silk Bank in June 2011, at a worship place in Bhara Kahu in August 2013, the District and Sessions Court in March this year and the explosion at Sabzi Mandi last week.

During the last five years, over 100 terrorists have been arrested, and explosives and suicide jackets seized from different parts of the city. However, the recoveries and arrests were made through intelligence and not with the help of scanners.

The scanners - X-ray inspection systems – have failed to produce the required result as they are neither metal nor eaxplosive detectors. They are only X-ray machines, which are suitable for customs authorities, and not helpful in countering terrorism.

Moreover, the scanners are being used by installing them at a separate place adjacent to roads. Under such circumstances only suspicious vehicles that are separated by policemen on the basis of their judgment pass through the scanner.

Keeping in view the outcome, the minister’s criticism on the purchase of scanners is justified as an amount of Rs1billion has gone down the drain.

The cost of an X-ray inspection system was $3 million, with 25 per cent ($0.75 million) custom duty along with 2.5 per cent ($0.075) interest. The cost and interest will be paid to China within 25 years, while the custom duty would go to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).

The radiation level of the system was 0.1 to 0.3 against the standard safe level of 2.5. The scanners are European technology and used in 101 countries, including Turkey, for cargo scanning.

A system can scan a loaded vehicle within 40 to 45 seconds.

However, the radiation level will harm people who regularly come in contact with the system, affecting their reproductive system and increasing the chances of cancer. The most vulnerable are the police officials who operate the system. Besides, the system’s maintenance has not been carried out ever since its use.