KARACHI: The authorities concerned of Pakistan Customs FBR have decided to widen the investigation ambit into dubious clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme.
The sources informed Customs Today that the issue linked with the clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme during the year2012 to 2013 has got significant importance by the passage of time, as the authorities concerned have decided to include Customs officials into the investigation.
It may be mentioned here that the MCC Appraisement-West has recently issued show-cause notice against 37 clearing agents and MCC Preventive has issued 12 show-cause notices to 12 shipping agents in this regard. The Additional Collector-I of MCC Appraisement-West Dr Ifthikar Ahmed has already conducted the hearings into the case on 31-Jan.
The sources disclosed that the Customs authorities have decided to investigate the Customs officials who were deputed in Car Group on that time, while the fact-finding committee had already recommended in its report for carrying out investigation with the Customs officials into the clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme.
It is pertinent to mention here that the revelations of fact-finding committee, constituted by the competent authorities of Federal Board of Revenue on the directives of FTO in order to find real facts in experiencing shortfall of Rs 450 million in share of surcharge on importation of vehicles under Amnesty Scheme.
A 3-member fact-finding committee comprised of Collector MCC Exports Dr Wasif Memon, Additional Director, Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation FBR, Khalil Yousufani and Additional Director, Audit in its report recommended a complete audit of all Customs officials deployed in Vehicle Group (Group-VII) in the time of Amnesty Scheme.
Around 1900 vehicles were cleared under Amnesty Scheme and shortfall of Rs 450 millions in share of surcharge was recorded. Furthermore, the Secretary Customs Tariff-III, Federal Board of Revenue Syed Ali Zaman Gardezi through a letter had asked the Collector of Customs (Inquiry Officer) Dr Wasif Ali Memon to submit his written reply against the impugned charge sheet C 9 (2) /2014-M.I in connection with the illegal import of 1900 vehicles under amnesty scheme.
In the letter, the authorities concerns have also asked for documentary evidence of 1900 vehicles in the holding areas of Dubai, Sharjah, Afghanistan and auction houses in Japan during the currency of the Scheme, as mentioned in the Charge Sheet, duly verified by the relevant authorities; Office Order issued by the then Collector dated 22-03-2013; SOP issued by MCC Peshawar along with the Board’s letter through which it was circulated and its date of receipt in the Collectorate; Intelligence alerts issued by the Directorate General (I&I) dated 29-03-13 and 01-04-13 along with the dates of their receipt in the Collectorate and the correspondence by the Chief Collector South on the issue with the Board; Instruction, guidelines issued by the Board regarding non-presentation of vehicles as mentioned at para (xi) (a) of the Charge Sheet and the date of its receipt in the Collectorate; SOP, Office Order indicating the undersigned’s responsibility for the acts and deeds of the sub-ordinate staff as mentioned in para C of the Charge Sheet; Investigation and fact finding report, if any, conducted on the issue by the FBR or any other agency and any other document deemed appropriate in connection with the subject inquiry.
