Pak-US to implement IC3 at Port Qasim in nine months

Islamabad: The Integrated Cargo Container Control (IC3) Programme, a trade security agreement signed by Pakistan and United States of America, will be operational at Port Qasim in nine months from now.


Shahid Rahim Sheikh, Member Customs, Central Board of Revenue (CBR), said on Monday the IC3 Programme would be implemented in nine-month time at Port Qasim to secure national trade interests. He said one scanner would be imported and installed at Port Qasim for scanning the cargo bound for the United States.


A joint team of anti-smuggling and anti-narcotics agencies will monitor the scanning process to avoid re-opening and re-checking of cargo containers. It will save time and hassle at the port and will result in clearance of cargo containers in minimum possible time, he added.


Pakistan and the United States had signed Declaration of Principles on Integrated Cargo Container Control (IC3) Program at the conclusion of US President George W Bush’s visit to Pakistan.


The Chairman of the Central Board of Revenue, Abdullah Yusuf, and the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Ryan C Corker, had signed the Declaration of Principles on IC3 Program in Islamabad.


The signing of Declaration of Principles on IC3 will help enhance international maritime trade security under a bilateral initiative. The IC3 Program envisages joint screening of US-bound containerized cargo from Pakistan via live video link by the customs authorities of Pakistan and the US.


The US Customs will not subject the screened cargo to re-examination on arrival at US ports. The arrangements for implementing the IC3 Program were earlier negotiated and finalized by the senior customs officers of Pakistan and the US. Pakistan’s federal cabinet at its meeting held in mid-February had approved the Implementation of Integrated Cargo Container Control (IC3) Program at Port Qasim.


Under the agreement, the government of Pakistan will safeguard its exports’ interests to US markets by ensuring the security arrangements of cargo containers at Pakistani port.


This programme will serve the purpose of Container Security Initiative (CSI) and Mega Port Initiative (MPI) of the US government to ensure a secure cargo supply chain for the US in Pakistan.


The US authorities, after the terrorist attacks of September 11, had proposed its trading partners to comply with the Container Security Initiative and Mega Port Initiative for its internal security needs. The implementation of the measures proposed in these two initiatives by the US government will enable Pakistan to have containerized cargo direct access to US ports. After implementing this programme at Port Qasim, Pakistan would have an edge over India for having trade security measures in place.


The government will launch a pilot project at Port Qasim to implement the IC3 Program at Port Qasim so that no one is able to use these containers for transportation of arms, radioactive materials and narcotics to the US.


Officials said that the implementation of the IC3 at Port Qasim will reduce the cost of our exports. At present containers of Pakistani commercial cargo bound for US ports are being scanned at Hong Kong, Colombo and Salala causing extra financial burden on our exporters.


The facility of scanning US bound containers at Port Qasim will not only reduce the cost, but will also save time for completing export orders of US buyers. Pakistan’s exports to the US in the fiscal year 2004-05 stood at $3.4 billion, showing a growth of 23% over the previous fiscal year. Pakistan is expecting further increase in exports to the US in coming years and the trade security measures to be implemented will help the country to safeguard its trade interests.