KARACHI: An official of Customs Intelligence & Investigation, Gujranwala Syed Aamir Shabbir has filed a complaint with Member Admin-FBR mentioning rampant corruption in the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation.

Subsequent to a petition before the Lahore high Court about rampant corruption in Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation, in the application to Member Admin-FBR, Aamir Shabbir submitted that Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation was inflicted with corruption and bribery as the offices of the directorate General were being sold to highest bidders.

It was also mentioned that a retired official Mushtaq Sarghana was calling the shots and effectively running the affairs at Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation. Mushtaq Sarghana is said to be the front man and business partner of Director General Shaukat Ali.

The complaint mentions that corrupt and bad reputed officials/officers were being posted at the directorates under Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation, who were patronizing unscrupulous elements for obvious reasons.

Aamir Shabbir has named Inspectors Saeed Hayat, Saad Iqbal and Majid Shah for collecting ‘monthly’ from various elements at Directorate Gujranwala.

In the complaint it is stated for Member Admin-FBR that officials and officers resisting these corrupt practices are transferred or indicted in false charges. Aamir Shabbir has alleged that Deputy Director Hoonaq Baloch was also patronizing the corrupt elements and added that he was threatened by the deputy director.

Aamir Shabbir noted that Director General Shaukat Ali, his front man Mushtaq Sarghana and some other accomplice officers who had taken several offices on ‘contract’ were notifying transfers and postings in violations of rules and honest officials/officers were sidelined.

Aamir Shabbir mentioned that Mulla Aslam, a recently retired superintendent, was running the affairs in Karachi and Mulla Aslam had rented an office before the Directorate Karachi. Mulla Aslam is said to be patronizing the unscrupulous elements and was in-charge of bribe collection in Karachi. Elements like Mulla Aslam had been posted at almost all the offices of Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation.

Superintendent Qasim Alvi in Hyderabad, Superintendent Abdul Razzaq in Sukkur, Superintendent Mahar Rafiq in Gaddani, Inspector Shafiq in Quetta and Rana Anwar in Dera Ghazi Khan are very bad-reputed officials and they are patronizing the unscrupulous elements resulting in huge loss to the national exchequer. However, Director General Shaukat Ali and his accomplices were filing their pockets with ill-gotten money.

Similarly, Superintendent Zahoor is in-charge of bribe collection in the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Mardan officers. Zahoor was posted on the recommendation of Mushtaq Sarghana. Shahid Mushtaq s/o Mushtaq Sarghana is appointed as Appraising Officer in Karachi.

SIOs Mohammad Anwar and Saud Iqbal at Hari Pur office are collecting ‘speed money’ from every truck coming from China border. Superintendent Waqar Cheema posted in Lahore on the recommendation of Mushtaq Sarghana. Lahore is said to be the office collecting highest amount of bribery after Karachi.

Waqar Cheema and Zahid Raza Bukhari were dismissed for corruption. They are still operating.

According to the complaint, Deputy Superintendent Malik Nasir in Multan, Inspector Chaudry Munir in Sadiqabad, Inspector Mansur in Jhang and SIO Tahir Iqbal in Khushab are responsible for collecting bad money.

These black sheep in the department are not only patronizing unscrupulous elements in inflicting loss to national economy and at the same time they are harassing honest and legitimate traders and businessmen. Because of these practices running under the supervision of Director General Shaukat Ali, honest traders/businessmen are compelled to opt for bad business.