Fata may get anti-smuggling laws next week

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is likely to issue next week notification regarding extension of relevant laws to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) facilitating action against human trafficking, illegal trade, immigration violation and smuggling etc in Torkham and Chaman, bordering Afghanistan.
The need for extension of the relevant existed laws to Fata was felt earnestly by the government in order to accomplish the objectives, envisioned in the National Action Plan (NAP), taking concrete steps against the threats of terrorism faced by the country, financing of terrorist organizations and money laundering etc.
At present, the six statutes including FIA Act, 1974; Foreigners Act, 1946; Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance, 1981; Passport Act, 1974; Immigration Ordinance 1979 and Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance 2002 have not been extended to Fata.
“The government has been regularly pursuing extension of the existed relevant laws to the tribal areas in order to curb the menace of human trafficking, illegal trade, immigration violation etc at Pak-Afghan border,” sources close to officials engaged with the Ministry of Interior on the matter told The News on Thursday.
The Commission constituted by the Supreme Court for checking the situation at Torkham border in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) and Chaman in Quetta, Balochistan regarding the situation of immigration system has presented a bleak picture most particularly regarding Torkham border.
The court was informed that as per figures, provided by the FIA, Customs, Political Administration, FC, and officials of intelligence agencies operating at Torkham border, approximately 15000 to 30,000 people cross Torkham border daily in either direction out of which only one percent is pedestrian traffic and passengers travelling in vehicles get randomly checked.
Similarly, the Commission’s report revealed that the volume of illegal trade at Pak-Afghan border Torkham per day is Rs100-150 million while the worth of goods seized from the border is in millions of dollar per month but surprisingly no record of the same is available or maintained by any department.
“It is a matter of four days and probably, the notification will likely be issued next week,” sources revealed adding that the extension of six statues to Fata had already been finalised but due to some observations, made by the FIA, it could not be materialised.
It is pertinent to mention that recently the government had informed the Supreme Court that a summary for extending the relevant laws to Fata has been moved and awaiting approval.
The court after receiving the Commission’s report sought a comprehensive report from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) stating as to what steps have been taken so far by the government to eliminate the menace at the borders whereby violation of the six statutes are being made that needs action and legislation.