KARACHI: MCC Preventive Karachi has recommended that US Office of Defense Representative in Pakistan (ODRP), shipping line M/s APL Pakistan and Afghan Customs may be contacted to provide an authentic report with regard to the movement of empty containers from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
In n interim Challan submitted before Customs Court, MCC Preventive Lahore established that owner and directors of M/s Bilal Associates now M/s Bilal Logistics Pvt Ltd have intentionally kept huge quantity of US Army containers without any lawful reason.
MCC Preventive maintains that the accused Shahid Ansari, Bilal Shahid, Ali Shahid, Javed Iqbal and Waseem Ahmed have failed to provide any tenable explanation regarding recovery of US Army equipment and other goods from their warehouses.
The accused during interrogation have admitted that the containers and goods thereof recovered from their warehouses were the property of US Army and they were the truckers for the movement of US Army supplied between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The accused have maintained that during the transportation some containers were temporarily stored at the said warehouses and the US concerned authorities were duly informed.
MCC Preventive adds that M/s Bilal Logistics pvt Ltd has repeatedly been asked to substantiate its position by submitting the required information including, the ownership documents of the under reference warehouses/yard, business contract with M/s APL Pakistan pvt Ltd and authorization from US Army fur transportation of their containers issued in their name. However, they have failed to provide such information meaning thereby, that either they do not have any legal authorization of the concerned quarters or they are intentionally avoiding furnishing any such information.
Directors of M/s Bilal Logistics including Shahid Ansari, Bilal Shahid, Ali Shahid, Javed Iqbal and manager Waseem Ahmed have been booked after a large number of US Army containers and US Army equipment were recovered from the warehouses owned by M/s Bilal Associates.
Customs has strong belief that goods stuffed in these containers meant for US Army/ISAF forces in Afghanistan has been clandestinely and illegally disposed of in the local market.
MCC Preventive added that in order to further the investigations, the issue should be taken up with US ODRP, M/s APL Pvt Ltd and Afghan Customs for an authentic report in this matter.