TORKHAM: The Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) Deputy Director Inamullah Wazir said that scanning was the only step left which has now been implemented.
Inamullah Wazir is a graduate of University of Sydney Business School and has a degree in International business.
He remained posted in Customs Preventive as assistant collector AFU and AC headquarters and anti smuggling.
He has also served as deputy director intelligence and investigation Quetta. Currently he is looking after transit trade at Torkham border.
Talking with Customs Today during exclusive interview he said that at Torkham Customs station no case of COVID19 has found yet in our staff because we adopted all precautions for safety of the staff, importers, exporters and customs clearing agents including drivers.
Wazir quoted “We are taking all necessary steps including wearing masks, gloves and sanitization, he added that this applies on staff and agents and drivers of vehicle carrying goods.
Answering to a query he said that the Pak-Afghan Torkham Border was opened on 10th April 2020 and working smoothly, he added that at the border sanitization tunnels are established for spraying on cargo while the cabins of the vehicles are also sanitized by NLC (National Logistic Cell), the NLC is custodian of the border Customs station Torkham.
Answering to another query that how the vehicles are handled at the international border? The Deputy Director ATT (Afghan Transit Trade) replied that vehicles are handed over to the Afghan drivers at zero point (Torkham border area), so persons cross border while empty vehicles are sanitized upon return.
Furthermore he said that all cargo scanned ensure that there is no leakage but at the same time less human interact with cargo.
The Deputy Director told that at the moment we have scanning at both Karachi and Torkham to cross match images, he added that all vehicles and containers are tracked through tracking devices.
In case of any alerts those containers are properly examined at the Torkham border to verify its contents whereas all containers are sealed at Karachi and de-sealed at Torkham.
Answering to a query about monitoring of Torkham border he said that all areas in Torkham terminal are CCTV covered details of transit vehicles are cross matched with NLC record at zero point.
He also told that Afghan customs give acknowledgement of the receiving of each consignment in WeBOC (web based one customs) system directly through IDs issued to them.
The Customs today asked Wazir that what he suggest that in current scenario of COVID19 epidemic the Customs staff who are above 50 years of age may get rest because they may are on high risk as WHO (world health organization) cautioned, he replied that those who have co morbidities or some health issues or old age are normally spared from duties.
