Chinese team inspects security measures taken at Port Qasim

Karachi: Nine members' Chinese delegation as State guest on Monday visited Port Qasim and it's allied facilities to see security and anti-narcotics measures. Chen Cunya, representing National Narcotics Control Commission - China and Narcotics Control Bureau Ministry of Public Security led the high profile mission.

Port Qasim Authority Planning and Development Director General Shaikh Qamar A Jameel and PQA Secretary Afsaruddin Talpur received the delegation.

Among other PQA senior officers, the meeting was attended by Security and Transport Deputy General Manager Faqir Ishaq Ali Hesbani, Cargo Operations DGM Captain Hussain, Marine Security Incharge Lieutenant Commander Nadeem, Security Manager Commander Haider Ali, Manager Development Muhammad Yaqoob attended the meeting.

Commander Haider Ali gave briefing to the Chinese delegation on security and anti-narcotics control arrangements at and around the Port, which included installation of sophisticated equipment to check possible trafficking of drugs and explosives.

In 1990 the port was declared as restricted area and it adopted SOLAS-1974 in the year 2002. While on 1st July 2004 the port qualified ISPS code, he said.

He said Port Qasim had all the three levels of security arrangements, which were considered as the best in the world. The preventive measures included CCTV, the metallic detector, boundary wall with mesh wire, light towers, additional security guards, video and electronic vigilance, entry passes, channel security, etc.

Moreover, he said Customs and the Anti-narcotics Force (ANF) officials operating at the port thoroughly checked /scanned export cargo before forwarding to the port authorities.

PQA Secretary Afsaruddin Talpur responding to a query from the delegation informed that Port had handled around 21 metric tons of cargo during 2004-05 and this year significant increase was registered. Last year, 1,000 ships called on the port while 1,100 vessels were expected over the current fiscal year.

The Chinese team also inspected functioning of TC-Scan - a Cargo Inspection System installed there six months back and described facility as the best anti-narcotics device.

Later, the Chinese delegation visited Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), which is a private sector entity with 100 per cent foreign shares.

QICT Chief Executive Officer Changez H Niazi briefed them about foolproof security arrangements and gadgets at the facility with zero chance of inflow of drugs or other banned material.

Only last year, we had injected dollars 100 million to make the facility more efficient and modernised,' he added.

He informed the company had planned to set up its second container terminal beside the existing one of the same size at the cost of dollars 240 million scheduled to complete in 2009.

The visiting Chinese delegation appreciated the security and anti-narcotics measures adopted by Port Qasim and QICT.