PESHAWAR: By installing scanners at Landi Kotal custom station in Torkham, clearance of passengers’ baggage would be possible in short time in addition of shutting money laundering through the western border.
Model Custom Collectorate Collector Qurbani Ali Khan said this while addressing on occasion of scanners inauguration ceremony held on Tuesday in conference room at Torkham. Qurban Ali Khan said that the Custom Department, that was functioning under Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), is utilizing modern technology to facilitate passengers at the crossing points and to boost foreign trade.
He also launched Passenger Facilitation Center (FPC) at Torkham and said that the Custom Department is determined to facilitate passengers crossing into Pakistan via Torkham and vice versa.
Landi Kotal Assistant Political Agent (APA) Rahim Mehsud, officials of National Logistics Cell (NLC), administration and custom, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry ex-president Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association senior vice president and traders representatives were among the attendants.
The collector added that 90 percent of Pakistan’s import and export had been computerized through WeBOC. He said that that the import and export procedure will further be promoted through modern way of transport and passage.
Highlighting the role of custom he said, the Pakistan Custom was the guardian of economic boundaries of the country and its main duty is to facilitate exporters and importers.
Smuggling is economic terrorism and it should be rooted out with joint efforts, Qurban vowed. He asked all the security agencies to join hands with them to further tightened border management to foil bids of unlawful border penetration. At the end, he pressed the button to function the scanner machines in the center.