KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has granted special powers to the Directorate General of Transit Trade, which includes the authority to demand documents and provide information as well as establish cases of fiscal fraud and arrest without warrants.
According to SRO 638(I)/2015 Director General Transit Trade has the authority to invoke all the relevant provisions of the Customs Act 1969 as envisaged under Sections 26, 32, 32A, 48, 60, 127, 128, 129, 129(A) and 156.
Director Transit Trade has the power to screen or X-Ray bodies of suspected persons for detecting secreted goods, power to issue search warrant, power to search and arrest without warrant, power to stop and search conveyances, power to examine persons, power to summon persons to give evidence and produce documents or things.
Director Transit Trade has been authorized to invoke provisions under Section 17, 25, 25(A), 26, 32, 32(A), 48, 60, 62, 127, 128,129, 129(A), 156, 157(2), 158, 159, 160, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168(1), (3) and (4), 169, 171, 174, 175, 185-F, 186, 193, 194-A, 196, 197, 198, 199, 201, 205, 206, 211 and 211(A).
Additional Director Transit Trade has been authorized to invoke Section 17, 25, 25(A), 26, 32, 32(A), 48, 60, 62, 127, 128, 129, 129(A), 155, 155(A), 155(B), 155(C), 155(D), 155(L), 155(M), 155(N), 155(O), 155(P), 156, 157(2), 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166. 167, 168(1), (3) and (4), 169, 171, 174, 175, 186, 193, 194-A, 197, 198, 199, 201, 205, 206, 211 and 211(A).
Assistant and Deputy Directors Transit Trade have the authority to invoke Section 17, 25, 25(A), 26, 32, 32(A), 48, 60, 62, 127, 128, 129, 129(A), 155, 155(A), 155(B), 155(C), 155(D), 155(L), 155(M), 155(N), 155(O), 155(P), 156, 157(2), 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168(1), (3) and (4), 169, 171, 174, 175, 186, 193, 197, 198, 199, 201, 205, 206,211 and 211(A).
Other officers of the Directorate have been given the power to open packages and examine, weigh or measure goods, take samples of goods and access the premises and records.
They may also invoke Sections Section 17, 25, 25(A), 26, 32, 32(A), 48, 60, 62, 127, 126, 129, 129(A), 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168(1), (3) and (4), 169(1), (2) and (3), 171, 174, 175, 186, 198, 199, 201, 205, 206, 211 and 211(A).