Japanese grant: Customs gets 3 fixed gantry scanners sans prescribed requirements

"Freely got; carelessly handle", this proverb clearly defines the mindset within the customs department as three fixed gantry scanners worth Rs 2.78 billion have been taken under the Japanese grant without fulfilling prescribed requirements.

According to details, the government of Japan on October 9, 2019 extended its assistance to Pakistan customs for the establishment of three new state of the art Kon-Intrusive Inspection Containers Scanning Terminals at Karachi Port and Port Qasim and formally handed over three fixed gantry scanners worth JPY 1.877 billion (approximately PKR 2.78 billion) under the Japanese grant assistance to Pakistan customs.

These scanners use a single scan to screen whole trucks (cabin included), containers and vehicles. However, under SRO 450(I)/2001, Chapter VIII of Customs Rules, 2001, the customs department has allowed terminal operators to scan containers only through dual view & dual energy scanners.

When contacted, top customs official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the customs department through SRO 450(I)/2001 prescribed the classification of only dual view scanners for containers scanning at ports but the scanners given by Japan were single view.

"Although these scanners cannot fulfil the requirements prescribed under the SRO, customs department cannot force Japanese government to give them dual view scanners as per prescribed classification," he added.

Meanwhile, market sources said that all terminals had already installed dual view and dual energy scanners at ports but the customs department was not using them at its full capacity and sending majority of containers for examination that led apprehensions for the traders, due to increased high cost of doing business.

Keeping the said in view, sources are of the view that these single view scanners, given under Japanese grant to Pakistan customs, may also remain unutilized.

Replying to a question, they said if these scanners were not as per required specification, the customs department instead of accepting them and putting the money of Japanese taxpayers at risk should have initiated deliberations with the Japanese authority and made them realized that these scanners would not produce desired results and convinced them for getting suitable ones.

"Now, the customs department by accepting these scanners showed non-serious attitude against the sincere efforts of Japanese government," sources said and added that these scanners could not be upgraded to dual view scanners as they were fixed gantry scanners.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019