Woman complains to PM Shehbaz Sharif about 'closure' of Green Channel at airport

• Pakistani-origin Australian passenger demands action.
• She says customs officials did not give reasonable answer.
• Customs collector says allegation is not true.

KARACHI: A Pakistani-origin Australian passenger has complained to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Green Channel was closed by the customs officials for foreign passengers at the Karachi airport.

The Australian woman wrote a letter to the PM in this regard saying that she had to wait at the customs counter for hours because of the closure of the Green Channel.

However, a customs official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the luggage of the foreign passenger was checked for suspicion

As per the Karachi airport sources there are two channels for custom clearance — Red Channel and Green Channel. Passengers who have dutiable or restricted goods are passed through the Red Channel and the ones who do not have dutiable goods are passed through the Green Channel.

She told the customs officials that the Green Channel facility was available at all airports as per order of the prime minister, the passenger said. 

"The customs officials did not give a reasonable answer to my question," she told the PM and demanded action against the customs inspector and collector.

Customs Collector Shafiq Latki said the allegation of closure of the Green Channel was not true. He said as per the policy foreign passengers' luggage are checked based on suspicion, therefore the woman was sent to the Red Channel.

Furthermore, he apprised, that there was no instruction from the PM to send overseas Pakistanis through the Green Channel.