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Green Channel reopens at all Pakistani Airports
(Report to Sada-e-Watan Sydney)
Pakistani Associations &
Members of the Pakistani community living in Australia welcomed Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz's directive to revive the 'Green Channel' at all airports in
Pakistan.
The 'Green Channel' allowed returning Pakistanis with undeclared and untaxed
goods to pass through customs without any trouble .It was introduced during the
government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a concession to overseas
Pakistanis.
The 'Green Channel' was closed after the removal of the Sharif government,
making it compulsory for all passengers to get their luggage checked for
declared goods, causing long queues and delays at airport customs counters.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz revived the "Green Channel" after his office was
flooded with complaints as corrupt customs officials took advantage of the
situation by harassing passengers, forcing many of them to fork out a bribe in
exchange for a hassle-free clearance
PM Shaukat Aziz at the same time directed the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to
direct their customs' airport staff to stop harassing incoming passengers.
"I will personally check the order's compliance at any airport randomly. This
must be done away with," the prime minister told senior tax officials in a
meeting at his office in Islamabad.
