Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has withdrawn its order that made plastic wrapping of passengers luggage mandatory. On Sunday night a new notification was issued with subject line “decision regarding compulsory wrapping of check-in baggage at all airport”. The order stated that the letter issued “on 17th July 2019 is to be treated as cancelled ab initio with immediate effect. Any correspondence made in furtherance of the referred letter is also required to be cancelled.”
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PCAA director commercial and estates Alqera Atiq ordered that “compliance with regard to the above instructions is to be ensured with immediate effect.” CAA earlier said that the objective os this baggage wrapping order to provide “safety and security of the valuables of air passengers”. And CAA said it was in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The whole issue came to light when a CAA letter was leaked to media where the whole contract of this wrapping business was given to a company Air Ciro whose CEO is Air Vice Marshal retired Shahid Latif. After the emergence of this letter, there was a huge uproar on social media. Journalists like Tahir Imran, Afia Salam and later PTI senior politician Jahangir Tareen weighed in on this debate.
Many raised the question that when the whole world is trying to cut the plastic use CAA is adding to it. Some also questioned that instead of enhancing the security and vigilance CAA is creating more plastic use and adding more bad stuff to the environment rather than saving it.