KARACHI: ASF authorities began to exercise the powers of customs officers on passengers. A large number of passengers protested at the airport departure lounge against the misbehaviour of the ASF personnel. For the last 15 days, Airport Security Police (ASF) has been taking over the duties of customs officers at Jinnah International Airport Karachi.

This proves that the law custodians are playing with the law. The authorities have started imposing various charges on those going abroad and preventing them from leaving the country.

ASF authorities forcibly check the baggage of passengers and detain the baggage at will. In this way, complaints are not being redressed by the public and all these incidents are happening in the evening and on night flights to foreign countries for the last 15 days.

While passengers are allowed to board after being checked by the customs authorities so that they can travel abroad, at the last checkpoint, ASF personnel stop the passengers and search them again by opening all the luggage and causing mental torture to the passengers.

He said that they should take their complaints to the airport manager and register them with the higher authorities. Passengers protested in large numbers at the airport departure lounge and raised their voices against the inappropriate behaviour of the ASF personnel.

After the protests of the passengers, the airport duty officer called them to his office to listen to their problems and later requested written requests from the passengers to register their complaints and assured them of redressal, but so far no action has been taken. Due to this, the passengers are facing problems.

The officers posted at Karachi Airport would have checked the luggage of all the passengers and allowed them to go abroad why did ASF officers stop us again and again at the last moment, only they can tell, while no prohibited goods have been intercepted and handed over to the customs authorities so far by the ASF officials.

People have appealed to President Arif Alvi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Commerce Minister Sindh Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo to conduct an immediate investigation into the incident of ASF officials stopping and checking the passengers without justification.