KARACHI: Director General Transit Trade Javed Ghani and Director Wajid Ali has advised strict monitoring of transit trade consignments as whenever the duties are increased the smugglers become more active.
DG Transit Trade has identified the spots where the transit cargo is pilfered. Sources said that an Afghan Basti near Gulshan-e-Maymar and Northern Bypass is the main dumping ground where transit cargo is pilfered, which finds its way into the markets. Javed Ghani also held meetings with the TPL tracking company for information sharing in this regard.
DG Javed Ghani quite recently hel a meeting with Director Transit Trade Quetta Pervez Isphani, Director Peshawar Dr. Naeem and Wajid Ali and deliberated upon the anti-smuggling strategy.
Wajid Ali has formed three committees each headed by Deputy Directors Chaudry Fazaldad, Shoaib Raza and Chaudry Mumtaz with the directives that all transit trade consignments declared to be containing mobile phones, electronics, cosmetics, cloth and miscellaneous items should be examined and weighed.
Sources said when duties are imposed or increased smugglers become more active and deliver goods to their clients on ‘done basis’, and the exchequer does not get any benefit.
As the government has imposed and increased Regulatory Duty and Additional Customs Duty, there are high chances that the incidence of smuggling would surge, and transit trade is the most important tool of smugglers.
It is known that these smugglers have developed their connections in Customs, law enforcement agencies and in political circles so that their business of illicit trade could run smoothly.
It is estimated that only one such smugglers working on ‘done basis’ pays 500 million a month to various quarters throughout the country including Customs, law enforcement agencies and political figures.
Sources said the money made through this illicit trade is prime source of funding to various terrorist and anti-social outfits.
These smugglers are mostly dual nationality holders i.e. Pakistan and Afghanistan and it is suspected that Afghanistan government is patronizing the smuggling in Pakistan. It is suspected that India through its presence in Afghanistan is patronizing smuggling, money-laundering and terrorism in Pakistan.
It may be mentioned here that Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan and Member Customs Nasir Masroor has advised all formations that the national revenue should be secured and smuggling should be eliminated.