ALMOST all our major commercial civil airports are considered insecure, which is the primary reason why FAA and Homeland Security are hesitant in granting permission for direct flights to America from anywhere in Pakistan. As it is, all our civil airports have been declared RED, for frequent bird hazard threats that have damaged many aircrafts, causing losses in millions of dollars, because CAA Pakistan and the state has been unable to secure what should be 15km sterile zone around periphery of all active runways.
As if this was not enough, the former Minister for Aviation belonging to PTI stood up in the NA and made an announcement casting doubts and aspersions on the capacity of CAA to perform their basic regulatory functions, which provided cannon fodder for EASA, forcing them to ban all our flights into European airspace. Almost over two years have elapsed and CAA seems to be unwilling to submit to an EASA safety audit team, without which the ban cannot be lifted. The only international passenger traffic which passes through our airports are predominantly our own ethnic passengers, most of them expatriate workers and skilled professionals, working abroad, who visit their country to see parents and next of kith and kin. It is very rare to see foreign travellers to even transit from our airports, although there was time when PIA was a reliable airline, with likes of Rafique Saigol and Nur Khan at helm, and this country’s airports were busy transit stopovers for foreigners of all shades and nationalities.
Many even chose to spend few days visiting various cities, historical sites etc. There was a time when loads of Japanese would prefer a stopover to play golf etc. All this declined when Zia-ul-Haq took over and the scourge of extremism engulfed this country like a venom, destroying whatever that was good and could lure foreign travellers and tourists.
Instead of being courteous to our own ethnic passengers who travel from various airports, various departments, tasked to provide security for safe travel, and ensuring that only those holding valid documents are allowed to board flights from passenger friendly airports, few vultures within them, consider it kosher to harass them, for obvious ulterior motives. The scale on which this occurs, points out that this is an organized racket, patronized by those, who were appointed to ensure that such irregularities do not occur. A close relative of mine who travelled from Lahore to Dubai, early morning on 2nd July by Emirates was harassed by ASF personnel on duty for carrying bedsheets etc. Why should the security personnel etc., be involved in checking bedsheets etc? They should be focused on their primary role to ensure no contraband good or ammunition etc. is carried. Had this expatriate, who regularly sends his remittances to Pakistan chosen to lodge a complaint, he and his family would have in most probability missed their flight. Commercial civil airports are considered to be secure, monitored by CCTV 24/7, fenced from all sides, yet accessible to all those who hold valid travel documents, and not barricaded like forts or military installations. Why should ASF personnel on duty at International Passenger Departure entry gate harass citizens for taking a video shot of their loved one departing the country? How can such a photograph be considered as a potential threat, or is this to prevent citizens from recording something else? These state funded agencies stationed at various airports must be disciplined so that they perform their assigned tasks and not loose their focus by diversions. Airport security is a specialized field, whose personnel are required to ensure that every individual who enters the premises from designated entry points are checked not to carry ammunition, explosive or highly inflammable material or other blunt objects, without being discourteous. Other agencies like Narcotics, Immigration and intelligence agencies are deputed to perform their designated duties independently, so that specific tasks assigned to them are carried out efficiently, with no distractions. There are SOPs for carriage, of what are designated as Dangerous Goods by IACO, which must be carried out by professionals trained to perform these duties, and in many countries even licensed to perform these tasks. There are internationally accepted norms and regulations which regulate role of Customs at departure points from a country and the port of arrival in another country.
Countries all over the world have their own set of rules, restricting amount of currency carried by individual passengers, cigarettes etc. from point of departure and also at the point of arrival, where they have to declare the total amount to the satisfaction of local laws. Carriage of narcotics are restricted universally from any port of entry or arrival and so are ammunitions etc. as part of baggage. It is only at port of arrival that Customs levy duties and not at the port of departure. Passengers coming to Pakistan must be encouraged instead of being harassed for buying goods made in this country.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
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