SHC tells CAA, others to file comments on plea against Khoji bomb detectors by June 18

The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and other respondents to file comments on a petition against the manufacturing and use of bomb detectors by adopting bogus Britain-based company’s technology, which had been banned by the British government in 2010.

The petitioner’s public interest law association of Pakistan questioned the manufacturing and use of bomb detectors, Khoji, being licensed and manufactured by the ASF on the similar junk science used by the UK-based company for its ADE-651 bomb detectors in the early 2000 era which was later banned by the British government due to bogus technology.

The petitioner’s counsel, Abdul Moiz Jaffery, submitted that once the British government had banned the export of the ADE-651, the ASF took over the making and selling of these magic wands at the cost of Rs70,000 per device in 2009. He submitted that these wands are sold under in name and style of Khoji (finder), which are then used by security personnel to protect airports and government installations, and have also been widely sold to the private sector and deployed at malls, hotels and fast-food chains all over Sindh.

He submitted that although the device claims an accuracy level of 90 percent and can detect explosives from distances of up to 100 metres, it is crucial to highlight that these Khoji devices use the principles of radiesthesia, or dowsing, which experts consider junk science.

He submitted that no official answer or statement has come forward from the ASF against the controversy of using the fake bomb detectors; besides, no audit has been forthcoming which can help decipher how much public money is being wasted on manufacturing these bogus magic wands by the ASF.

The counsel submitted that the ASF has not come forward with any official statement regarding the whole controversy of these fraudulent bomb detectors being used to guard Jinnah International Airport and several sensitive venues such as hotels and malls; therefore, the ASF should be held accountable for its negligent actions.

The court was requested to restrain the ASF from licensing, manufacturing and using Khoji bomb detectors modelled on the banned ADE-651 technology and declare use and manufacturing of detectors as illegal.

The counsel requested the court to restrain the ministry of defence from issuing new contracts in relation to the manufacturing and licensing of the Khoji.

A division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar took exception to the failure of the CAA and other respondents to file comments and directed the respondents to file comment by June 18.