KARACHI: MCC Port Qasim has blocked the WeBOC user ID of M/s Moorad Shipping Agency as the clearing agent has been found involved in embezzlement of funds deposited by the importers with th connivance of National Bank staff at QICT collection booth.
Assistant Collector Rehan Akram, on the directives of Collector Port Qasim Surayya Ahmed Butt and Additional Collector Shfiq Latki, has blocked the user ID of M/s Moorad Shipping in WeBOC system.
M/s Moorad Shipping mis-used the payment orders of different importers and got cleared the Goods Declarations of other importers instead of importers who actually had deposited funds with the agent for clearance of their consignments.
Due to this mis-appropriation by the clearing agent and bank staff, the actual importers have suffered undue delay in the clearance of their consignments resulting in commercial losses.
An official said that M/s Moorad Shipping was actually cheating the importers adding that a Show Cause Notice had been issued; hearing would be held on September 18, 2015 wherein the future course would be decided.
A complaint filed by M/s ACP Oil Mills noted that they deposited an amount of Rs2.5 million in the bank accounts of M/s Moorad Shipping so that the same could be deposited in the national exchequer and their consignments of palm oil and olien could be cleared. This is the general practice that amounts are deposited in agent’s account which is then transferred to government kitty.
M/s ACP Oil Mills noted that M/s Moorad Shipping was delaying the transfer of subject duty/tax in government depository, which was harming government revenue collection and delaying their consignments.
The agent has violated the duties and responsibilities and obligation to promptly pay to Government when due, all sums received for payment of any duty, tax or other debt or obligation owing to the Government and promptly render account to its client regarding any money received from him for Government.