KARACHI: Pakistan Customs on Thursday clarified the report regarding disappearance of weapons from containers lying at KPT was incorrect and misleading.
Consignments of arms and ammunition imported in 1992 are kept under safe custody of KPT in the strong room which is not accessible to anyone except authorized person of KPT only.
No consignment of arms and ammunition has been put in any container lying at KPT.
These consignments of arms and ammunition cannot be auctioned as per Rule 58(3)(i) of SRO 450(I)/2001 dated 05.06.2001 of Federal Government. In this regard, the Federal Government has devised procedure for disposal of seized/confiscated arms and ammunition only, whereby the active arms and ammunition are allocated to civil armed forces and anti-smuggling organizations and obsolete arms and ammunitions are handed over to Pakistan Ordnance Factory, Wah for re-melting.
It is further clarified that all these consignments have been imported by authorized arms dealers duly licensed by the respective Home Departments of the Provincial Governments contrary to what has been published in the press. Fact of the matter is that some consignments are pending un-cleared which are commercial consignments imported by either government departments like Ministry of States and Frontier Regions or by authorized arms dealers who have valid licenses from respective provincial Home Departments and district administrations besides having import authorization from Ministry of Commerce.
The subject consignments are lying on KPT ports due to certain reasons like decision pending with the High Court of Sindh on disputed consignments or heavy demurrages incurred on over-stayed consignments etc.
It is also clarified that clearance of imported arms and ammunition is processed through computerized system and thus all data/record of cleared consignments is safe and secure in Customs computerized system. On the basis of such available record, an exercise is underway scrutinizing the record of importers of arms and ammunition to verify onward supply.
In view of above facts, it is reiterated that news published in a section of press is materially incorrect, misleading and wholly against the facts of the matter.