KARACHI: Principal Appraiser Directorate I&I Karachi, Syed Irshad Ali Shah has identified loopholes, irregularities and illegalities in the prevailing system of security of the premises.
The essential requirement for keeping continuous watch on the office premises is installation of CCTV System with Immediate effect. The CCTV System with recording capacity will enhance the security of the premises and deterrence for illegal activities of unscrupulous elements leading to minimization of Illegal removal or theft of goods presently available within the office premises.
In the absence of CCTV System the security of office premises and as well as goods laying within premises without lawful authority will be on risk permanently, Shah noted in a letter to Deputy Director I&I HQ.
The Customs Act, 1969 has envisaged legal procedure for storage of seized and confiscated goods in the state ware house. The officers / officials are under statutory compulsion to deposit the seized or confiscated goods in State Ware House and placing the goods under reference within office premises are illegal act on the part of all concerned.
In the light of legal position it is requested that seizing officers may kindly be directed to remove all seized / detained / confiscated goods to State Ware House Immediately along with the goods parked outside office premises such as oil tankers etc.
Two containers said to be containing Cellular Phones and Antique Statues are also lying within office premises. The container laden with Antique Statues belongs to Directorate of I&I-Customs, Regional Office, Hyderabad. It is suggested that Hyderabad Office may kindly be approached and requested to remove the container either to their own premises or deposit the same in State Ware House; likewise the container laden with cellular phones shall also be removed to State Ware House by the seizing officer of Directorate;
The security of the arsenal room (koth) shall be handed over to ASO as the ASO is the main enforcement wing of Directorate and they are the main user of arms and ammunition when carrying out operational or surveillance duty.
The arms etc are required by ASO in routine on daily basis. Due to paucity of staff in Security Section it is difficult to maintain the record of arms and ammunition and its issuance in accordance to law after making entries in register maintained for record keeping of arms and ammunition issued to ASO.
The arms and ammunition are lying in open in guard room which is also against the spirit of law. The arms and ammunition are to be issued to competent officers / officials of Directorate after entering the detail in the arms and ammunition issue register whereas such legal requirement is not complied by all concerned. In the current situation the stock taking of arms and ammunition shall be carried out by ASO and record accordingly up dated. Thereafter all arms and ammunition shall be kept in arsenal room (koth) and ASO shall issue arms & ammunition to its staff after making entries in the register kept for the purpose and after securing signature thereof as acknowledgement. Subsequently the reverse entries shall be effected in record at the time of return of arms & ammunition.