Pakistan Customs has launched a specialized Risk Management System for passenger profiling at all major international airports in Pakistan. This exercise is part of the Customs Border Management Initiative (BMI) recently approved by the Prime Minister which will be used to curb the menace of smuggling.
According to a press release, the Passenger Profiling System, “Global Travellers Assessment System” (GTAS) is now operational at seven major airports of the country for which Customs staff has been adequately trained. The World Customs Organization (WCO) and US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) have provided technical assistance for the deployment and implementation of the project.
The system is capable of carrying out passenger profiling and targeting through Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record Information (PNR) for interdiction of suspected travelers, drug smugglers and money-launderers, etc. while adhering to the requirements of FATF action plan. It will also help in creating profiles of passengers traveling to and from Pakistan and generate risk indicators in advance using a proactive methodology for effective border management.
According to Chairman FBR Syed Shabbar Zaidi, the GTAS will also enable Customs to achieve the “Invisible Customs approach” with the least presence at airports while facilitating genuine passengers.
The Chairman has also directed Member Customs Operations to ensure adequate training sessions for customs officers while initiating data sharing with border agencies which will serve as a targeting portal for all law enforcement agencies at Pakistan Customs National Targeting Centre.
Reports on Traders’ Perception Survey
Pakistan Customs and the World Bank implemented a technical assistance program from October 2017 to May 2019. The main objective of the program was to support Pakistan Customs to promote voluntary compliance and facilitate trade. Within the program two analytical papers were reported:
- Trader’s perception survey
- Customs data analytics
Both of these were prepared and presented to officers of Pakistan Customs today in a workshop held in World Bank Office, Islamabad.
The surveys’ main objective was to understand the perceptions of the trading community on the services provided by Pakistan Customs. The data analytics objective is to measure the valuation price gaps using a standard methodology comparing trade data from COMTRADE and WeBOC.
There should be a Customs Officer Profiling System to judge who could potentially take bribes. That and needless harassment are the main issue with Customs at airports.