KARACHI: The influx of smuggled goods including the contrabands is on the rise and non-duty goods are finding their way again into the markets of Karachi as the concerned Customs authorities have allegedly gone quite lenient against this dirty business.
Market sources told Customnews.pk that supply of smuggled and non-duty-paid goods had almost stopped after Customs authorities with the help of and assistance of IG FC Sher Afghan had broken the entire smuggling network in Baluchistan, but the same network is being reestablished.
Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation is primarily responsible to check and eliminate smuggling and the Directorate General had succeeded in its quest against this dirt business. However, after Shaukat Ali assumed the office of Directorate General Customs Intelligence & Investigation, things allegedly turned.
The Directorate of Customs I&I ASO Karachi is unable to perform as the Director Tahir Qureshi is left with no authorities. Contrary to Qureshi’s mandate the postings of officers and officials of the Directorate are being notified from Islamabad to weaken the Directorate. Deputy Director Haroon Malik has been moved to Hyderabad, Assistant Director Mukhtar Shaikh is posted in Sukkur while Deputy Director Ms. Sadia is posted in Karachi. There is no Additional Director in Customs I&I ASO leaving the Directorate practically toothless. The honest officers are either transferred to bad postings or they remain quite fearing bad for their carriers. It is no secret that ACRs of honest officers are stained and their carriers are destroyed.
Sources said that a retired official is calling all the shots in Karachi. Superintendent Mulla Aslam was posted in Karachi and he has been retired. Mulla Aslam is running a private Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) and their office is right before the office of Directorate of Customs Intelligence, Karachi. Mulla Aslam’s private team comprises of eight members who have made fake ASO cards and they use government number plate vehicles. Mulla Aslam is said to have complete support of the Director General.
One member of Mulla Aslam’s team, Malik Sadiq collects bribery from the smugglers of Iranian diesel and this collection amounts in millions. Other accomplices include Shahzad, Mehmood, Dewan and others. Mulla Aslam and his private team enjoy complete support and assistance from the officials of Directorate of Customs Intelligence ASO Karachi.
Mulla Aslam is patronizing smuggling of all the goods including vehicles, mobile phones and cloth etc. It has been known that these men using their fake identities of Customs Intelligence and government number plate vehicles escort containers of smuggled and non-duty paid goods to their desired destinations.
Director General Shaukat Ali is alleged to be responsible for reviving the entire ring of smuggling, which had been destroyed after a long struggle and with the assistance of FC Baluchistan.