ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is reluctant to provide vigilance desk to customs staff at Departure Hall of NIIA. Customs staff of NIIA is trying to get excess at PIA hangar’s area for vigilance of planes because most of narcotics cases were reported from the hangar area.
Assistant Collector Farheen Zahra while talking to Customs Today said, “We have appointed separate force for rummaging of airbuses particularly for boarding to UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia flights.”
She said Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is not providing checking desk area to Islamabad customs staff at departure side which is very essential to make checking of outgoing accompanied baggage as well as passengers.
She had appointed four surveillance officers of superintendents level separately to make sure rummaging and vigilance hundred percent.
She said that because having vast area of NIIA, the Islamabad customs required more staff comprising inspectors and sepoys to create balance against Airport Security (ASF) as they have large number of staff compared to Customs staff deputed at NIIA.
Zahra said that during Eid holiday she conducted surprise visits at NIIA to check the customs duty staff and support them that they are not alone performing duty on Eid holidays while Customs officers are also with them to provide assistance to passengers who travel during Eid holidays.
She said that some of customs inspectors were not on duty when she visited the airport during Eid holidays and she had sought explanation from those officers.
