After criticism, Pakistan withdraws mandatory baggage wrapping policy

The authority also reduced the plastic wrapping rates from up to Rs400 to a uniform Rs50.

After receiving criticism for making plastic wrapping of luggage mandatory, Pakistan Civil Aviation watchdog on Sunday withdrew its decision.

This comes a day after, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that all baggage of international and domestic passengers were to be wrapped with a plastic sheet at the initial stage of scanning at combined search counters of Airports Security Force (ASF), Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and the customs, reported Express Tribune.

The letter under reference is to be treated as cancelled ab initio with immediate effect. Any correspondence made in furtherance of the referred latter is also required to be cancelled," said a notification issued by the CAA headquarters in Karachi.

"Compliance with regard to the above instructions is to be ensured with immediate effect," the authority added in the notification directed at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Sukkur airports. 
The authority also reduced the plastic wrapping rates from up to Rs400 to a uniform Rs50.

"Repairing charges are fixed at Rs50 as per clause 22 of the licence agreement executed between Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and M/S Air Ciro, the licensee shall at all times conform in all respects with provision of law and rules and regulations which may be applicable to the premises or to the business carried thereon under the licence for any lawful directions issued in respect therefore by any authority," read the notice.

"It is therefore advised under clause 22 of the licence agreement to ensure immediate compliance to the directives of the government. Furthermore, the said rate should be prominently displayed at your business premises for the convenience of the travelling passengers," it added.

Following its order for making it compulsory air travellers to have their checked baggage shrink-wrapped, Pakistanis took to Twitter to express their discontent.

"It's not about how thin or thick the plastic. Does the CAA not have an HSE dept mandated to conduct impact assessments? Or have those procedures been waived for this corrupt profit-making endeavour? Seriously shameful stuff," a user tweeted.

Others suggested the quantity of plastic that would be needed was wasteful. 
"This is @ImranKhanPTI @PTIKPOfficial Naya Pakistan. Destroyed Pakistani industries and now committed to destroying #environment via #CAA," tweeted another.

"@ClimateChangePK will there be action on this plastic wrapping decision by CAA? If not, I'm taking this to PM Portal? What is the basis of this decision? It abhors me that the airport experience at any Pakistani airport is deplorable and then this comes up. Who decided this?" a user tweeted.