QUETTA: Customs Baluchistan has intensified efforts against smuggling with focus on high value goods including diesel, which is smuggled from Iran.
In line with the vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, Member Customs – FBR Tariq Huda passed directions to Chief Collector Balochistan Gul Rehman to intensify the anti-smuggling drive.
Collector Gwadar Tahir Qureshi and Collector Quetta Irfan Javed have advised their teams to keep strict vigilance on the movement of smuggled goods including petroleum products.
Customs Check Post Lakpass with the assistance of Frontier Corps Baluchistan seized 68,000 litres of smuggled Iran origin diesel along with transporting vehicles. Total value of the seizure is Rs40 million. Further legal proceedings are underway
In the last 45 days, Baluchistan Customs with the assistance of FC recovered around 750,000 litres foreign origin diesel and also seized around two dozen tankers. Total value is around Rs300 million.
Collector Customs Quetta Irfan Javed, Collector Gwadar Tahir Qureshi, Additional Collector Yasir Wahab Kulwar, Additional Collector Ghulam Haider Maiser, Deputy Collector Akbar Jan, Deputy Collector Falak Sher, Superintendent Tariq Sultan, Superintendent Saleem Mandokhail, Superintendent Saeed Baloch are taking active part in the anti-smuggling campaign despite shortage of resources.
Moreover, MCC Gwadar is executing intelligence based operations. In one such operation, Mobile Squar Khorkhera intercepted an oil tank and recovered high value digital tablets and bobile sets of big brands, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Hawaii, Amazon and others and seized the same along with Hino Truck. This is one of the unique cases by the Collectorate. The value of seizure is approximately Rs12.28 million.
An official said authorities were only targeting the big smugglers and were lenient with poor residents of Baluchistan involved in bringing smuggled goods on their motorbikes and motor tricycles in order to earn their bread.
It may be mentioned here that Baluchistan has very limited resources and limited employment opportunities. Most of the residents of Baluchistan are involved in small-scale smuggling.
Official said government had planned to increase employment opportunities in the province and soon, the smuggling would entirely be eliminated.