KARACHI: It seems Customs Lahore is sleeping or too busy in meeting its collection target as no legal proceedings were initiated even after a bonded consignment destined to dry port Lahore went missing.
According to the details of the case, M/s Iqra International imported a consignment and filed transshipment permit to dry port Lahore, the consignment was allowed TP and was moved to the dry port through the bonded carrier M/s Friends Logistics.
Wajid of M/s Friends Logistics said after the departure of the vehicle to dry port, he tried to track the vehicle but it could not be found. Therefore, he lodged an FIR at the Docks Police Station that the vehicle had gone missing. Docks Police issued an alert throughout the country and the vehicle was caught in Peshawar by Peshawar Police on April 26, 2017.
The consignment which was found to be stuffed with fireworks and explosives is still in the possession of Peshawar Police. However, Customs Lahore is indifferent to the fact that a consignment which was to reach dry port Lahore had not reached its destination.
Interestingly, MCC Lahore has not taken any legal action, not even a report was filed in the system that a consignment had gone missing.
Pakistan Customs is keeping strict vigilance on the movement of contraband goods particularly fireworks, which are imported and cleared in the garb of other things.
Quite recently Customs Intelligence & Investigation seized a consignment imported by M/s Mehran Enterprises Peshawar. The consignment was declared to be mosquito coils, nail cutters, tissue paper and plastic waste etc. However, the goods were found to be fireworks.
Moreover, MCC Appraisement West has received an information about the presence of another container of fireworks, which would be apprehended soon.