KARACHI: Performance of the Directorate of I&I-Customs, Lahore has seriously dipped during the financial year 2017-18 as compared to that of 2016-17.
The statistics establish that during the financial year 2017-18 goods valuing Rs1.046 billion were seized by the Directorate as compared to Rs2.201 billion worth of goods seized during 2016-17, showing a decline of Rs1.155 billion or 52 percent in performance.
Similarly, the enforcement activity went down alarmingly as contravention cases involving duty/taxes of Rs2.333 billion were affected during financial year 2017-18 as compared to contravention cases involving duty/taxes of Rs3.305 billion affected during 2016-17 showing decline of Rs972 million or 29 percent in performance.
The above-stated unfortunate trend of deteriorating performance has continued into the current financial year as well. The fortnightly performance for the month of July 2018 establishes that goods valuing Rs2.5 million have been seized by the Directorate as compared to Rs14.54 million worth of goods seized during the corresponding period of July 2017, showing a decrease of Rs12.04 million or 83 percent in performance .
Director General Customs Intelligence & Investigation Shaukat Ali has advised Directorate of Lahore that all-out measures be taken to improve the performance and the Director should personally supervise performance of the anti-smuggling and enforcement outfits on daily basis.