LAHORE – The Ministry of Interior is going to install Integrated Border Management System at Allama Iqbla International Airport which would be helpful in keeping record of travellers and tracking down criminals, sources in the FIA’s Immigration Department said on Monday. They said that in 2002, the United States provided a border monitoring system called Personal Identification, Secure Comparison and Evaluation System. “But now Pakistan has replaced that system with IBMS, which is more capable and secure. The NADRA is its architect. An officer of Immigration Department on condition of not to be named said that the system would not only help to control illegal immigration but would also be able to preserve the biometrics of passengers which would be further helpful to trace criminals. He claimed that the system had been installed at Benazir International Airport Islamabad and the Ministry intended to introduce it at all major and international airports of the country and other legal exits.
It is to recalled that Interior Minister had appreciated NADRA on doing wonderful job regarding preparation of CNIC, MRP and now IBM and said, “Our data was compromised because Pakistan was using software of other country, but now I am satisfied that the NADRA which was given the task, has developed the IBMS successfully”.
The sources claimed that the system would identify links between members of suspected groups and organisations and from Benazir International Airport where this system was operational and a number of terrorists and at the same time their traveling was also tracked.
It would also help on-line data entry at ports to devise a fool-proof mechanism for registration of the foreigners and subsequent tracking of foreigners through a computerized system till the foreigner leaves the country or is declared an illegal immigrant after expiry of visa.