FBR denies closing ''Green Channel''

Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Tariq Bajwa has categorically stated that the FBR has not closed ''Green Channel'' facility for the incoming international passengers at airports. He was responding to a query of Shafqat Mahmood member Public Accounts Committee (PAC) during the meeting of the PAC held at the Parliament House on Tuesday. Shafqat Mahmood asked the FBR to clarify whether ''Green Channel'' facility is not operating, as 100 percent examination of baggage is being carried out at the airports of incoming international passengers.
Referring to a flight, he said that all the passengers have been tortured at the airport. The intentional passengers'' have already travelled long flights and now they are tortured by the customs officials despite availing green channel facility. Even the passengers, who have nothing to declare, have to go through the scanning process and cannot avail the green channel facility. The question arises whether the facility has been closed at the airports. After long flights of 20 hours etc, if all passengers have to go through the x-ray machines, then the government should suspend the ''Green Channel'' facility.