KARACHI: The strike called by the Action Committee of Customs assessment officers continues as more collectorates are likely to join the ‘cause’ and observe strike on Monday.
A representative of the Action Committee said the strike was to protect the self-respect of assessment officers and it was not that the strike was called against the anti-corruption measures taken by Chief Collector Abdul Rasheed Sheikh.
The processing and clearance of imported consignments remained suspended at MCC Appraisement West and MCC Appraisement East while partial clearance was under taken at MCC port Qasim. Directorate of Transit Trade also remained closed on Saturday. MCC Lahore will join the strike on Monday.
It was known that clearance would also be stopped at airports on Monday as the strike would expand to all Pakistan.
Action Committee representative said ‘speed money’ was a menace and it could not be eliminated in a day or two therefore over-ambitious measures taken by Abdul Rasheed Sheikh were not prudent.
Officials said if 15 days steel consignments cleared from green channel were checked, billions of rupees of evasion could be found, which suggests that a mega-scam is being played.
All Pakistan Customs Agents Association leader Arshad Jamal said they were against corruption. Abdul Rasheed Sheikh has been in Appraisement South for the last 10 years suddenly launched a rigorous campaign against corruption raises some questions, he added.
Collector Appraisement West Shahnaz Maqbool, Collector Preventive Dr. Iftikhar and Chief Collector Enforcement Manzoor Memon attempted to negotiate with the assessment officers to end the strike, but the Action Committee refused to talk to them saying they were not in a position to address their demands.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rasheed Sheikh allotted user IDs of assessment officers to assistant/deputy collectors so that assessment could be continued while additional collectors were assigned the responsibility of review.