KARACHI: Force Commander of Regional Directorate Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Sindh, Brig. Muhammad Abu Zar, while terming the massive cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan as ‘living danger’, said that cultivation of opium poppy and production of illicit drugs in Afghanistan pose severe threat to Pakistan’s trade.
The drug-traffickers will try their best to smuggle these illegal drugs from Pakistan to other countries, which requires extra ordinary measures by ANF at all ports of Pakistan, he added. He said that export cargos from Pakistan caught with illicit drugs at any of the foreign ports would not only result in blacklisting the concerned exporting company but would also terribly sabotage the image of Pakistan which should not happen at any cost.
Out of total production of 529 metric tons of opiates in Afghanistan, 44 percent was being smuggled to Pakistan, 35 percent to Iran and 21 percent to Russia so that this life-threatening drug could later be smuggled to various destinations around the world, which leaves no other option for ANF but to adopt stringent measures and take extra-ordinary steps to stop smuggling of Afghan opiates to other countries from Pakistan, he added while delivering a presentation during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
KCCI Senior Vice President, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, KCCI Vice President Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, Chairman Ports & Shipping Sub-Committee KCCI, Asif Nisar, representatives of Terminal Operators and Clearing Agents were also present in the meeting.
Terming the huge quantities of drugs being produced in Afghanistan as ‘one of the biggest challenges’ for Pakistan’s smooth export, he said that elements associated with this illicit business were trying to smuggle drugs to different countries through Pakistani seaports.
Brig. Abu Zar pointed out that in 2001, opium poppy was being cultivated on 7,000 hectors of land in Afghanistan which has now spread on a massive land of 254,000 hectors by 2012-13”, he added.
To effectively detect smuggling of illicit drugs, Brig. Abu Zar said that ANF conducts inspection of exporting containers through a Risk Management System and profiling was being done as per certain laid down parameters. Reacting to business community’s concerns over delays in shipment of export consignments due to meticulous examination of cargo by ANF, he clarified that only 2 percent of the country’s total annual exports were being inspected at the ports while the rest of 98 percent cargos were not being examined.
“70 percent of the total cargo in each suspicious container is thoroughly examined,” he informed, adding that export cargoes were inspected randomly, however, sometimes on tipoff, ANF examines any doubtful consignment. He assured the exporters that the inspection was always meant just to protect their cargoes, not to harass them. Due to stringent measures taken by ANF, ports of Karachi were no more favorable for drug-traffickers, who prefer smuggling illicit drugs from other areas including Gwadar, Pasni and Ormara via small boats.
He also advised the exporters to avoid ‘one window service’; and said exporters should send their clearing agents at seaports at the time of cargo inspection. The concerned clearing agent must ensure his presence during the re-packing of exporting products. ANF does not take any fee charges on account of services provided to exporters, however sometime exporters complain that the clearing agents take charges in the name of ANF.
He also suggested the exporters to keep their eyes open on their lower staff, because smugglers might offer them undue money in a bid to smuggle drugs through export cargoes, as such cases happened during recent years. The exporters must not sale their original form-E which can be used for smuggling purpose, he added.
Terming the existing scanners installed at the country’s seaports ‘obsolete’ to detect illicit drugs in export cargoes, he said that ANF cannot totally depend on these scanners for detecting illicit drugs so they have to manually check the cargo in suspicious containers.
Appreciating the effective role being played by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry towards creation of an enabling economic environment by highlighting various issues, Brig. Abu Zar said, “We are the guardians of Pakistan’s frontier whereas the Karachi Chamber is the guardian of the economy.”
Earlier, Senior Vice President KCCI, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, while welcoming Brig. Abu Zar, underscored the need to devise an effective strategy and strict measures to stop illicit drugs from entering Pakistan.
He was of the view that drugs addiction has terribly affected Pakistan’s society, particularly its youth. Every possible step must be taken to get rid of this threat from its source and efforts must be made to completely eradicate this menace from our society, he added.
To a proposal by SVP KCCI Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, a representative of QICT, Mr. Rizwan agreed to waive of demurrage charges caused due to delayed grounding by QICT which was warmly welcomed by the participants of the meeting.
Vice President KCCI, Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, while advocating ANF’s stance, stated that every possible effort must be taken to stop the movement of illicit drugs via export consignments being shipped from Pakistani ports to various destination abroad with a view to save the image of Pakistan. He assured that the Karachi Chamber would fully support the efforts being made by ANF in its quest to stop smuggling of illicit drugs.