KARACHI: The measures introduced by Chief Collector Appraisement South Abdul Rasheed Sheikh have created unrest among the appraisement staff, as the Chief Collector is now interfering with the work and banning individual liberties.
Chief Collector has banned use of personal mobile phones at workplace with a view to eliminate corruption by cutting staff’s contact with agents and importers. Although a communication room has been set up, but this is not enough.
The female appraising officers have written a letter to the chief Collector mentioning that ban on use of mobile phones had ended their contact with their children at home.
Protesting the ban on mobile phones in a technological advance environment, the female staff noted it was against individual liberties.
Apart from this, Chief Collector has created a very uneasy environment for the staff wherein the entire system has been altered in the name of trade facilitation while actually these so called reforms are reflecting badly on the performance of Customs.
AO detected evasion of Rs4.1 million on examination and prepared the contravention report. However, the subject official was served explanation memo by Chief Collector.
Customs supervisory staff monitoring the process are confused and afraid of the behaviour of the chief Collector that they are just clearing the GD’s without even the due process. The staff is reluctant to call or recall mandatory documents.
Catalogues of machinery and chemicals are also being ignored by the assessment groups. Fungus ridden beatle nuts are being cleared without examination and in last year these goods are being cleared declared as coconuts.
Officials are of the view that the writ of Customs was not being imposed and would be difficult to impose the writ if the policies were not changed.
Sources said Abdul Rasheed Sheikh in the name of trade facilitation was aiding and abetting unscrupulous elements including his own brother Mansoor Sheikh the owner of M/s E-Movers.