The government has added several fertilizers, chemicals and powders to the list of prohibited items following the receipt of a confidential report, as part of measures aimed at protecting public safety.
Biometric verification through NADRA has now been made mandatory for individuals seeking access to these sensitive materials in order to prevent their potential misuse.
New Security Rules and Details of Prohibited Items
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, strict measures have been introduced across the country to improve the law-and-order situation and curb illegal activities.
Since several of these chemicals and fertilizers can potentially be used in the manufacture of explosive materials, their transportation and availability are being regulated.
The major items placed on the prohibited list include:
- Urea
- Ammonium nitrate
- Calcium ammonium nitrate
- Potassium nitrate
- Magnesium nitrate
- Silver
- Sodium nitrate
- Potassium chloride
- Aluminium powder
- Diammonium phosphate (DAP)
- Sodium chloride
Strict Monitoring of Storage and Transportation
Under the new rules, relevant authorities have been directed to strictly monitor the storage and handling of these prohibited materials.
If any of the listed prohibited items are lost or stolen, the relevant institution or individual will be required to report the incident to the authorities within 24 hours.
The notification states that violations of the rules or illegal storage of these items will be dealt with strictly and will be considered a serious criminal offence.
Background and Current Security Situation
The development comes at a time when security agencies across the country are already on alert to deal with any potential untoward incident.
In the past, some elements have been found to obtain agricultural fertilizers and industrial chemicals from ordinary markets and use them in acts of sabotage.
There has long been a need for a comprehensive system to close this loophole and monitor the supply chain, which is now being implemented through biometric verification.
What Will Be the Long-Term Impact?
The government’s move is being viewed as a timely security measure. As long as fertilizers and chemicals remain freely available without adequate checks, preventing their misuse can remain a challenge for law-enforcement agencies.
Linking NADRA’s biometric system to the process will place buyers’ identities on record, potentially making it easier to trace individuals involved in illegal activities.
However, the implementation of the rules could create some administrative difficulties for farmers and industrialists, as fertilizers such as urea and DAP are essential to agriculture.
The government will therefore need to introduce a convenient procedure alongside the security measures so that farmers and businesses can continue their routine activities without disruption while the authorities achieve their security objectives.
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