ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Thursday was informed that despite a ban on the import of bananas from India, 30 to 40 trucks were bringing in the tasty fruit through the Indian held Kashmir every day.

“Bananas are being permitted into Pakistan somehow. We found out recently that under the Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act 1976, bananas cannot be imported from India. Our department has now reduced the numbers to three to four trucks from India. Import of bananas from India will be stopped completely eventually,” Director General Travel and Trade Authority Azad Jammu and Kashmir (TATA) retired Brig Tahir Hameed Malik told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs.

The official was responding to questions from members who feared that the Indian bananas contained certain chemicals, hazardous for consumption.

The committee had met for a briefing on fresh fruits, vegetables and other items coming to Pakistan from India through the Line of Control (LoC) trade carrying bio-security risks. The members believed that these items were sneaking into all markets illegally without paying any duty and taxes.

NA body informed that 30 to 40 trucks still bring bananas through LoC trade every day

The members also believed that while quality fruits and vegetables were being exported to India, substandard food items were coming into Pakistan from the neighbouring country.

In response to a question from MNA Dr Shazia Sobia about chemical contents in bananas imported from India, Mr Malik said laboratory tests did not find anything objectionable.

“Lab tests have mostly found fungus that develops in food naturally,” said the official.

The members also asked him to stop smuggling of beetle nut (chhaliya) and gutka into Pakistan.

MNA Khalil George said beetle nut and gutka were causing serious health hazards, especially in Karachi, causing cancer in consumers.

The official informed the committee that cross LoC trade had completed nine years of its existence. Despite heavy odds, the trade has been going on successfully. It is estimated that so far roughly 100, 000 trucks carrying goods worth Rs29 billion have crossed the LoC on both sides. He said TATA had been regulating the barter trade in a difficult security environment with limited technology and resources.

He said in five incidents heroine and contraband items were smuggled out of Pakistan in the last three years. Such incidents bring a band name to the country and also have negative implications for the confidence building measures (CBM).

In January 2014, 114 packets of heroine were smuggled out of Chakothi, AJK. In March 2015, 25 kg heroine and 5, 000, 000 India rupees were checked at Chakan Da Bagh, AJK.

Similarly, the Indian held Kashmir authorities claimed to have confiscated 66.5 kg heroine and the truck and its driver were in Indian custody, he said.

The official said currently his team had to unload every single item to check for contraband, narcotics and banned items manually.

“We request the committee to assist TATA in getting scanners that we have been asking for since quite some time, same as deployed as the Wagah border,” Mr Malik said.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2018