KARACHI: It is heartening to observe that all the authorities have developed a consensus that smuggling is the biggest problem of the country as on one hand its hurts economy and on the other hand provide resources to terrorists and anti-social elements.
Pakistan Customs, civil administration and military forces are onboard and a grand anti-smuggling operation in set to launch across the country. The development comes after an Indian spy was caught in Quetta involved in various acts of terrorism and other subversive activities in the country.
Sources said money made through smuggling was the prime source of funding terrorists, separatists and anti-social elements. Sources said such spies were the prime patrons of smugglers and smuggling inflicting collateral damage to the country.
Moreover, explosives and ammunition as well as drugs and narcotics are smuggled in a large quantity from Afghanistan. This stuff is used in terrorist activities in the country.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been pursuing a vigorous campaign for the last around four years and the network of smugglers was annihilated with the assistance of rangers and frontier constabulary.
However, the paramilitary forces went on sidelines probably because of some policy limiting contact with civilian authorities and departments to protect their goodwill, which slowed down the anti-smuggling campaign.
Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan recently under Section 7 of Customs Act, 1969 sought assistance of military and paramilitary agencies as well as other law enforcement agencies.
Sources said that a decisive action has been planned to eliminate smuggling to protect national interest as well as choke funding lines of terrorists.
It was learnt that Chief Collector Enforcement South Mohammad Zahid Khokhar and Collector Quetta Saeed Jadoon and Director Intelligence Quetta Asghar Khan will be leading the anti-smuggling operations in Quetta and Balochistan. FBR is the in-charge agency of this anti-smuggling operations because of the expertise and skills it possesses.
For the last many years the ‘foreign hand’ is busy in creating troubles for Pakistan. Terrorist organizations, separatists organizations and other anti-social elements are being supported and funded through various means.
The pilferage and disappearance of US Army/NATO/ISAF cargo has been a tool of funding and equipping such elements, which the Customs has taken care of. As the movement of US Army/NATO/ISAF is strictly monitored the pilferage is next to impossible. US consulate is responsible for the safe movement of such cargo, but no action was taken in this regard due to obvious pressure.
Then there was the replacement and pilferage of transshipment (TP) cargo during transit, but that too has been taken care of.
Therefore, smugglers and smuggling has become the new tool of funding and equipping terrorists and other anti-social elements.
In Karachi, the activities of smugglers have taken strength as there is no more check and balance. Tyres, electronics, cloth, mobile phones are smuggled in a large quantity. These come from Quetta on trucks and these tyres are stored at different places in Balochistan and then these are smuggled to Karachi. Smuggled tyres is already stored in warehouses at Gulbai and Sabzimandi.
It is surprising that officials in Karachi taking steps against tyre smuggling are transferred, such as Superintendent Najeeb Jafri who was transferred to Islamabad.