Subsequent to terrorist attacks of September 11, the US authorities proposed its trading partners to comply with the Container Security Initiative (CSI) and Mega Port Initiative (MPI) for its internal security needs. Accordingly, all customs administrations were obliged to forge ever closer links, in terms of operational synchronisation and information-sharing, to ensure that it is only the genuine commercial cargo which moves through Customs border controls with utmost speed and facilitation, and that nothing is permitted to disrupt the international supply chain security in that process.
IC3 is based on strategic partnership between Pakistan Customs and the United States Customs & Border Protection (USCPB) under the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI). The SFI project was started in the wake of the agreement signed between the two countries on the visit of President Bush in Pakistan in March 2006. Under this agreement the government of Pakistan would safeguard its exports' interests to US markets by ensuring the security arrangements of cargo containers at Pakistani ports. SFI is the advanced version of the CSI, where both scanners and the Radio Portal Monitors for examining the radioactivity are allowed to perform together under an integrated operations conducted by two administrations together.
Port Qasim has the honour to be the first global SFI port in the world. The partnership between the two countries is based on shared concerns and mutually recognised roles and responsibilities in protecting and facilitating trade between Pakistan and US. It is a 50-50 partnership wherein funds for land acquisition and construction of the IC3 facility and infrastructure were provided by the Government of Pakistan. While X-ray scanners, Radio Portal Monitors (RPMs), communication system and other equipments along with technical assistance to Pakistan Customs officers were provided by US.
The IC3 facility is constructed on 10 acres of land, obtained from Port Qasim Authority. These 10 acres are almost equally divided into two Blocks, National Block and the Operations Block. National Block consists of a multi-agency operations building where seating arrangement for IC3 Management, exports staff, clearing agents and Bank cashier has been made, ramp for examination of non PaCCS cargo and the holding area for temporary stay of cargo till the time the vessel arrives. IC3 Operations Block, comprises of two sets of RPM, NII (Non-Intrusive Inspection) Scanner, examination Hall for detailed physical examination in case of an anomaly observed during the scanning process and a targeting area to monitor the process & to establish liaison with NTC Washington. There are two counters inside the Targeting area, one for Pakistan Customs and other for Foreign Service Nationals (FSN). FSN are Pakistani nationals, appointed by the USCPB to represent them here at the SFI port with a view to facilitating the communication between Pakistan Customs and the USCPB.
The goal of the Secure Freight Initiative is to establish an integrated inspection system with international allies to secure the global supply chain and eliminate the possibility of terrorist exploitation. Purpose of the IC3 programme is to facilitate the flow of genuine US bound commercial cargo and to forestall clandestine movement of dangerous cargo, including radioactive or explosive substances through Radio Portal Monitors (RPMs) and Non Intrusive Inspection (NII) Scanner. The Programme envisages an integrated system whereby US bound cargo is jointly monitored by both Pakistan Customs and USCPB on real time basis via live video link. The US Customs will not subject the screened cargo to re-examination on arrival at US ports provided manipulation is appeared to have been made with the seals.
The Program involves examination of the US-bound containers through a two-fold screening and imaging process. The system consists of an integrated inspection of containers by using X-ray scanners for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) and Radio Portal Monitors (RPMs). Screening is done through RPMs for any radioactive material found inside the cargo. RPMs receive the radiations of any magnitude and signal back through alarm. Optical Characteristic Recognitions (OCRs) are attached to these RPMs for capturing pictures of the container No from two angles and the same are transmitted to the targeting Area for recognising & confirming the container No already received in the form of basic data from the entry-gate booth. The cargo is then subject to non intrusive scanning. The images so created are viewed by Pakistan Customs at Port Qasim and by US Customs at their Targeting Centre in Virginia on real time basis. Both the Customs Administrations can communicate with each other and exchange information during the course of viewing the scanned images. Upon completion of the process, CSI seals, consisting of Bolt seal and a Tamper Indication Sticker, are allotted and applied to the container that would enable the consignment to be ready to depart.
The IC3 Program marks a paradigm shift from traditional clearance of export goods under manual examination to an automated, integrated and trustworthy system of verifying national exports. In fact, it is in synchronisation with the core principles of trade facilitation ie, single stop clearance, single window processing, and pre-shipment security clearance. This system, contrary to the old manual system, expedites the flow of export goods from Pakistan to the US, thus cutting down the inventories at export houses and reducing the cost of doing business. Prior to its inception, containers of Pakistani commercial cargo bound for US ports would get scanned at Hong Kong, Colombo and Salala causing extra financial burden on our exporters. The facility of scanning of US bound containers at Port Qasim has not only reduced the cost but also has helped save the time for completing export orders of US buyers. The project gives satisfaction to US Customs in the backdrop of US concerns over terrorism by non-state actors in various ports of the world.
In fact, it is a real win-win position for Pakistan and USA. This system also gives exceptional efficiency to Pakistan Customs in handling export cargo bound for US. It is strongly hoped that the project will go a long way in further strengthening the economic as well as strategic ties between Pakistan and US.
ANTI SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR PERIOD JULY, 2011 UPTO DECEMBER, 2012
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S.NO. Description Quantity Value
(Rs in million)
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1 Vehicles 127 Nos 150.39
2 Foreign cloth 169387 Yards 13.51
3 Foreign Currency Assorted 20.80
4 Arms & Ammunition 4 Air Gun 12 Pistols 0.64
& 180 Rounds
5 Tea 22508 Kgs 5.11
6 Tyre & Tubes 560 Tyres & 2.71
1070 Tubes
7 Auto spare parts Assorted 2.74
8 Liquor 1635 Bottles 2.52
& 773 Cans
9 POL Product 493607 Ltrs 55.08
10 Gold 1.100 Kgs 5.32
11 Silver 2 Kgs 0.26
12 Cigarettes (Fake /Foreign) 13559 Cartons 6.17
13 Electronic Goods Assorted 28.11
14 Antique 01 Flower vase & 57 0.55
Indian Coins
15 Pirated CDs/DVDs 1833 Nos 0.06
16 Medicine Assorted 0.31
17 Gutka (All Brands/Origin) 5270325 Pouches 46.39
18 Misc Goods Various 145.74
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Sub Total 486.41
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Narcotics
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1 Charas 0.47 Kgs 0.05
2 Heroin 153.126 Kgs 15.30
3 Amphetamine 5.47 Kgs 54.70
4 Soaked 4.10 Kgs 0.41
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Grand Total 556.83
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