Nadra resisting installation of ABMS at Torkham
ISHFAQULLAH SHAWL
ISLAMABAD: National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has resisted the installation of the Automated Border Management System (ABMS) at Torkham -Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, by citing an example of the first system that was installed at Chaman in 2006 and eventually destroyed in 2007 by forces operating from across the border, well placed sources in NADRA apprised Business Recorder.
NADRA had installed a comprehensive border management system at Chaman, which was destroyed by forces with evil intentions, they added. Now Nato and governments facilitating the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) have approached NADRA to establish the ABMS at Torkham, which would process and track people and vehicles, sources said.
NADRA officials said, regarding the reactivation of the ABMS at Chaman, that priority should be given to the smooth operation of that system first; which would psychologically strengthen NADRA to set up a similar system at Torkham. It would take lesser time to establish a system at Torkhan, as the authority has the requisite expertise and experience to do so, officials maintained.
They said the installation of radioactive chips on vehicles would not guarantee the safety and security of those vehicles carrying goods for Afghanistan. NADRA has a biometrics system which takes facial and finger print records of people, they also said. They further said the system would also keep a record of the automated data verification, passenger’s travel history, vehicle information, destination, port-of-origin, nationality, verification log and officer’s comments.
The ABMS is fully equipped for optical reading, identification of travel documents, identification of passenger through AFIS and Facial 1:1 match, validation of PKI by reading MRZ and 2D Barcode PDF 417, identification of passenger’s data, the UV images, matching with Blacklist and Exit Control List (ECL), they added. The system established by NADRA at Chaman, was a model and the very first comprehensive border management system in the world, under which over 58,000 people were processed and thousands, who are frequent visitors, were provided ‘Rahdari Cards’, they said.
This system was totally transparent and effective in tracking people, but it was not acceptable to people across the border, which is why perhaps it was destroyed, they further said. This system not only processed people, but vehicles and even donkey carts crossing the border transporting goods, NADRA sources said.
NADRA developed the ABMS as an exemplary identification and verification system which was to serve as a tool for the law-enforcement agencies in eradicating illegal immigrations and human trafficking, they said. The ABMS is a fully automated immigration control system linked with the central passport server. It authenticates e-Passport, identity and other travel documents by performing on the spot Facial Recognition and Fingerprint Identification with utmost reliability and efficiency, they added.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:8/3/2010
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