Sir: My most recent and probably last visit to the airport’s cargo services in Lahore was a nightmare. It took me six hours to get my unaccompanied baggage. There is no system to guide people about the procedure, which seems to be deliberately complicated to force people to purchase the services of agents. These agents have connections with all relevant offices and they handle things in a most non-transparent manner. Deception and fraudulent activities is the name of the game. Customs officers sit in their cool air-conditioned offices while clients rot in corridors without even fans. A normal procedure involves visiting seven or eight offices located in different buildings and only agents can know the sequence of these visits as no one is assigned as a guide.
I had to visit the same office three times during this exercise at different stages of the procedure. I came out of the place after six hours exhausted and with the resolve to never use this service again. I offer my heartfelt sympathy to the people who have to utilise these services as a matter of routine. These are money-minting services. I sincerely hope that the concerned officials and government functionaries will look into the pathetic affairs in this place and induce some fear of God in the staff and agents.
DR IRFAN FAROOQ
Via Email