KARACHI: The anti-smuggling campaign under the supervision of Pakistan Customs has started yielding results, which is evident from over 20 percent decline in the imports meant for Afghan Transit Trade (ATT). There is enough evidence to believe that majority of Afghan Transit Cargo is smuggled back into Pakistan under the patronage of Afghanistan government.

According to official numbers, the import value of goods for ATT has reduced by 21 percent in November 2015 to Rs23.3 billion as against Rs29.5 billion in October.

Afghan Transit Trade is the biggest tool of smugglers as most of the transit goods are illegally removed from containers and supplied in the local markets. Similar quantity of goods are usually illegally transported in Pakistan.

Pakistan Customs has launched a mega anti-smuggling campaign and all law enforcement departments and intelligence agencies including Rangers, Police, FC and para-military forces are onboard. This anti-smuggling campaign on for the last two months has discouraged the unscrupulous elements and imports value under ATT has reduced.

Smuggling is the largest menace plaguing the economy of Pakistan even the country’s stability has been put on stake. Smuggling is inflicting a collateral damage on the economy, first the national exchequer is deprived of its legitimate revenue, local industry is adversely affected and more alarmingly the money made through this dirty business funds terrorism and anti-social elements.

It is suspected that Afghanistan and India re jointly promoting smuggling in Pakistan to destabilize in the country. It may be recalled that scores of containers of US Army/ISAF/NATO were pilfered in Pakistan and even empty containers were detected at ports, but the Afghan authorities never reported that even a single container went missing, which proves their agenda.

Customs Intelligence-FBR had prepared the complete anti-smuggling strategy and the draft was forwarded to Ministry of Finance by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Following this the Ministry of Finance along with Ministry of Defense and military establishment initiated the campaign. Sources said General Raheel Sharif personally took interest in this campaign.

The prime focus is on cutting the funding lines of terrorist and anti-social elements; money made through smuggling is their biggest source of funding. Quetta, Gwadar and Peshawar are the high sensitive areas, where the authorities have implemented strict enforcement.

Moreover, the border forces’ personnel posted on borders and sensitive areas are frequently reshuffled so that no nexus between smugglers and officials/personnel could be formed.

Experts said Pakistan Government should be more cautious with respect to transit trade and strictly regulate this obligation of providing trade route to Afghanistan, as India has regulated transit trade to Nepal. Indian Customs collect on duty and taxes on transit cargo to Nepal and the funds are then transferred on government to government level. Moreover, Indian authorities have fixed a quota for the import of transit cargo by Nepal.

Experts said that Pakistan desperately require such measures as Afghan Transit Trade has already inflicted irreparable loss to the country.