LAHORE: Collector of Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement Muhammad Zahid Khokhar has urged the Federal Board of Revenue to provide security to the Customs officials working to collect vital revenue for the national exchequer as some importers and clearing agents have resorted to threaten the officers in order to influence Customs’ working in their favour.
The collector made this request to FBR in a letter. The collector quoted the example of Aziz-ur-Rehman Malik, Principal Appraiser of AIB and Investigation and Prosecution Branch of the Collectorate who was recently held by policemen in Lahore and was taken to Kot Ladha police station in Gujranwala.
On reaching the police station, he was informed that he had been taken into custody in connection with an old murder case of 2005, registered against unidentified persons and now his name has been included as an accused by the complainant of the FIR.
According to the collector, Principal Appraiser Aziz-ur-Rehman Malik had played an important role in detection of a case of silicon-electrical steel import by unscrupulous importers and clearing agents M/s Ikram International Services through fraudulent means. The officer saved billions of rupees of the national exchequer.
The collector said that the owner of the clearing agency Ikram-ul-Haq Bhatti reportedly belongs to Kot Ladha and he has been declared an absconder along with his accomplice. Both have been recommended of having their names added to the Exit Control List vide a letter dated May 19, 2014 sent to the Board.
He urged the Board to take immediate measures in order to avoid reassurance of such incidents which, by putting undue pressure on the customs officers, reduce the most needed revenue for the national kitty.
