KARACHI: Abdul Majeed Paracha, Acting Chairman Pakistan Tea Association (PTA) tendered resignation from post of Acting Chairman in protest over valuation or amount of customs duty payable on imported tea.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary General of PTA, Mr Majeed Paracha referred to a meeting held on request of Pakistan Customs over valuation issue in which PTA was to make a presentation for deciding the price of imported tea per kilogram.
According to resignation letter, members of PTA resorted to brief the custom oficials on the basis of auction price but to his astonishment they suggested and presented a different criterion not practised by PTA. So on principles Abdul Majeed Paracha a founding member of PTA decided to step down. He took charge in Nov 2020 when former Chairman Khalid Puri also resigned over similar issues.
According to sources, PTA members are involved in blackmailing officials in the name of the association for securing release of tea consignments citing price lower than actual. The money saved by under invoicing and evasion of duty is then laundered through “HAWALA”.