Musharraf Trial

ISLAMABAD: Wednesday, October 14, 2009: All US officials and diplomats will now have to go through normal airport checks at the Islamabad Airport as the government has decided to withdraw the extraordinary concession offered to them after 9/11 by former president Pervez Musharraf.

Under the concessions, the US officials and their vehicles enjoyed unchecked arrivals and departures and no scrutiny of their luggage was done at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA), Islamabad.

On the direction of the Defence Ministry, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued orders for the withdrawal of this facility as of Oct 15. The decision has been taken after reports that this concession was misused in the past.

New Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been devised and notified that would now make the Americans and the UN officials to go through normal checks. Gammon Gate of the BBIA, which was basically meant for food catering services and had a direct outside airport link without passing through immigration and customs checks, was specified for the US officials and for the UN officials too. This special facility allowed the Americans to have unchecked arrivals and departures to and from the Islamabad Airport.

Sources said this facility was massively misused and there were reports of even unauthorized and undeclared import of sensitive material and equipment, including weapons. This fact raised serious alarm bells among the Pakistani authorities and forced them to withdraw the facility that was given to the Americans by the former dictator without proper consultation and consideration.

According to sources, the kind of unusual concession is not even available to the president and premier of Pakistan who, though enjoy full protocol and VVIP treatment, go through the mandatory checks in the US.

Interestingly, Musharraf offered such concessions to the Americans despite Washington’s extraordinary strict immigration and security checks from all those coming from Pakistan, including the VVIPs. In one of Musharraf’s earlier official tours to the US, his media spokesman Rashid Qureshi, who was then a brigadier, was made to untie his military boots at the Dallas Airport.

In view of the security concerns, the CAA issued an order on September 25, announcing the withdrawal of Gammon Gate facility from foreign missions based in Islamabad. The operative part of the order reads: ìPursuant to the instructions received from the Defence Ministry vide letter No 2-1/2009-ASF dated Sep 16, 2009, the facility of use of Gammon Gate by the officials\vehicles of the US embassy and UN missions may be withdrawn w.e.f Oct 15, 2009.î

Documents show the government authorities admitting that the Customs and immigration authorities having no arrangements/staff to check the movement and crew and other foreigners, etc. “The equipment related to aero-plane, the crew and their personal luggage also passes through this gate. During checking, US vehicles and the luggage they carry to and from apron area are not properly searched\checked by the ASF staff deputed to control the entry\exit at the Gammon Gate,” a document said, adding in view of this use of the Gammon Gate by foreigners should be stopped forthwith as it was a serious security hazard.

The new SOPs that the Americans and UN officials are supposed to follow like rest of the foreigners include:

1. Foreign mission may like to use Rawal Lounge or normal lounges. In case of Rawal Lounge, it will be on payment basis as per the existing policy.

2. Vehicles of officials concerned of the above foreign missions will be parked in Rawalpindi Lounge car park. In case of non-availability of car parking space in Rawal Lounge car park, the vehicles may be parked in Govt Lane in General Car Park.

3. Proper security checks be ensured and other formalities, i.e. Customs and immigration be completed in case of operation of the aircraft to\from foreign destinations.

4. Proper arrangement for transportation of crew\passengers\technicians of respective aircraft and their baggage from lounge to the aircraft and vide versa also need to be done.

5. In case of international operation, the aircraft shall be parked on designated parking bay as allocated by the ATS Unit.

6. In case of International Departure, CAA (Apron Management Office) telephone number shall be informed at least one hour before the intended departure time of such operation.

These SOPs, according to the document, shall take effect from October 15, 2009.