In the shadowy world of modern warfare, traditional battlefields have given way to covert operations, sabotage, and subterfuge. Recent reports suggest that Israel has allegedly smuggled drones into Iran to conduct unauthorized attacks—a tactic reminiscent of Ukraine’s strategies against Russia. This development underscores a grim reality: in today’s conflicts, the lines between fair and unfair, legal and illegal, are increasingly blurred.
The same tactics could be employed against Pakistan, where smuggling networks remain rampant, and systemic loopholes in trade and cargo movement create dangerous vulnerabilities. The most alarming concern? The ease with which drones, explosives, or other illicit materials could be smuggled into the country—primarily through shipping containers.
How Pakistan’s Trade System is Being Exploited
1. The Weak Links: Inter-Port Movement & Export Processing Zones (EPZ)
Under current regulations, goods transported between ports (inter-port movement) or to Export Processing Zones (EPZ) do not require a Goods Declaration (GD) or mandatory examination at the point of entry. This creates a glaring security gap:
Inter-Port Movement: When cargo moves from a port to an off-dock terminal, the GD is only filed at the destination, leaving ample room for pilferage, replacement, or even the insertion of illicit goods en route.
EPZ Vulnerabilities: Containers arriving at seaports and destined for EPZs bypass initial customs checks. Even upon arrival at EPZs, inspections are lax—only when goods leave the EPZ for export are they scrutinized. This means smuggled items could be hidden or even stockpiled within EPZ facilities.
2. Transit & Transshipment Trade: A Smuggler’s Paradise
Transit and transshipment cargo—goods passing through Pakistan to other countries—are another major risk. Due to lenient checks and widespread corruption, these shipments could easily be diverted or tampered with, allowing dangerous materials to enter the country undetected.
Tracking System Failures & Delays in Security Upgrades
In January 2025, Pakistan Customs licensed three tracking companies—National Logistics Solutions (NLS) of NLC, V Track, and Falcon Eye—to implement a Container Security Device (CSD) system and RFID tracking within 120 days. However, all three companies secured extensions, leaving containers moving across ports, EPZs, and transit routes without real-time monitoring.
This delay means that since January 2025, thousands of containers have moved unchecked, heightening risks of smuggling, sabotage, or even foreign-sponsored attacks using concealed drones or explosives. The containers are being moved in convoys escorted by some security personnel whom can be managed unlike the CSD and RFIDS.
Military-Led Anti-Smuggling Campaign: Progress & Challenges
Recognizing the gravity of the threat, Field Marshal Asim Munir has spearheaded a nationwide anti-smuggling crackdown, targeting revenue leaks, terrorist financing, and national security risks. Joint operations involving Pakistan Customs, Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), FC, Rangers, and police have significantly disrupted organized smuggling networks.
80% of large-scale smuggling via trucks and containers has been curbed.
Smugglers have now shifted to smaller vehicles (buses, cars), making detection harder but operations smaller in scale.
Urgent Call for Action: CSD Pilot Project Needed
Given the persistent vulnerabilities in inter-port movement, EPZs, and transit trade, immediate action is required. The three tracking companies must roll out the CSD system as a pilot project without further delay to prevent exploitation by hostile entities.
Pakistan’s trade and cargo security system remains dangerously porous. Without urgent upgrades, the country risks becoming a target for covert operations—just as Iran allegedly faced. The time to act is now, before smuggling loopholes are weaponized against national security.