Observer Report
The Federal Investigation Agency has completed the process of upgrading its International Border Management System (IBMS), bringing it on a par with the systems used in developed countries to effectively curb various crimes, including human trafficking.
The upgraded IBMS is now operating at the country’s 14 international airports, six border crossings, four sea ports and two railway stations to keep a check on the people entering and leaving the country.
The international airports include Islamabad International Airport, Allama Iqbal International Airport, Bacha Khan International Airport, Jinnah International Airport as well as airports in Quetta, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Turbat, Sukkur and Gwadar.
The border crossings, where the IBMS has been upgraded, are Wagah, Kartarpur, Sust, Torkham, Chaman and Taftan. The sea ports include Karachi, Bin Qasim, Ghass Bander and Gwadar while the railway stations are Waqah Railway Station and Khokhrapar Railway Station.
The FIA completed the upgrading process with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority, intelligence agencies and National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).
Talking to media, an FIA official said the IBMS is used at immigration counters at these key locations to monitor and record the passengers entering and leaving the country.
“The FIA has developed a database of over 200 million people with the help of this system. The upgrading will help in tracking high-value targets, human smuggling, smuggling of currency notes and movement of other criminals,” he said, requesting anonymity.
The IBMS is a national-level system of critical nature and a vital component to support the FIA immigration to keep an eye on all incoming and outgoing international travellers on the basis of the FIA Act 1974 and Foreigners Registration Act 1964.
The IBMS has the responsibility of maintaining and updating the database prepared by ‘PISCES’ from 2003 to 2010, and to keep it updated as per current and future needs of the immigration system.
In order to computerise the arrival and departure record of international travellers, PISCES – Personal Identification Secure Comparison & Evaluation System – was established in 2002 under the umbrella of the FIA with partial assistance of the US government.
PISCES was appreciated internationally and considered a vital tool in the fight against terrorism, combating human trafficking, minimising human smuggling and discouraging the designs of all who want to deceive the immigration system of Pakistan.
PISCES provided a mutually agreed platform for relevant stakeholders to implement the standardised Exit Control List system. This project was completed in June 2010, according to the FIA website.
