According to a report appearing in Customs Today, the United States has provided state of the art equipment to the Federal Board of Revenue to stop the smuggling of explosive material into the country.US Ambassador Richard Olson has handed over 10,000 chemical testing kits, 80 vehicles and five first defenders night vision glasses to FBR chairman Tariq Bajwa. The equipment will be installed at the entry and exit points of the country to curb smuggling of contraband items which terrorists useto manufacture improvised explosive devices.
The delivery of the equipment is part of an understanding which the Pakistan Customs and the US Homeland Security Investigation had reached in 2008 to establish a close liaison between the two countries. The US government has also provided a hand-held laboratory to detect the smuggling of illegal chemicals at ports, airports and all other entry and exit points. The government is also taking an initiative to identify and track down clients and end users of fertilizer as terrorists use fertilizer in explosive devices.According to the FBR chairman, the board is responsible for recovery of taxes and duties, but now it will also have to work out a counter strategy for the security of the country.
In fact Pakistan had been known as an emerging economy in South Asia with performance better than any other country in the region, but thousands of people have been killed during the war on terror while economic losses are estimated at $100-$150 billion. Due to relaxed visa policy of the government, it is easy bait for anyone to visit Pakistan by air, sea or land while porous border with Afghanistan is another nuisance. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are living in Pakistan from African countries to central Asian states scot-free and many of them are involved in drugs trafficking and other criminal activities. Unless the government introduces a strict visa regime and seals borders with neighbouring countries, especially Afghanistan, the country will continue to suffer at the hands of terrorists.
