ISLAMABAD: Torkham border handles more than 60% of Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan and Central Asian States besides facilitating trans-boundary movement of Afghan transit cargo. It gained international importance during the post-9/11 era as logistic supply line for US-led allied forces in Afghanistan. The performance of Customs Station Torkham in terms of anti-smuggling drive has also been outstanding during the financial year of last eight and a half months (July 2016 to March 15, 2017). Torkham made seizures of various smuggled goods worth Rs229.25million during above said period.
These important views were expressed by Deputy Collector Torkham Fazle Shakoor while talking to Customs Today during an exclusive interview at his office.
He joined Pakistan Customs in 2008 and his first posting was at the MCC Quetta. He was also posted at Karachi and now he is posted at Torkham. Fazel Shakoor got a Masters degree in History from Quaid-e-Azam Univresty. He belongs to Dir (KP).
He stated that historically Torkham has been a major trade route and border crossing-point for a long time. It was playing a significant role in promoting regional trade and regional connectivity. Customs Station was first established in 1934 as land border station to promote bilateral trade between Afghanistan and the then British India.
Deputy Collector said Torkham was manned by a Border Examiner. It was a small border station facilitating clearing of export goods of food items and salt to Afghanistan and import of fresh fruits from Afghanistan. The post of Border Examiner was elevated to Superintendent in 1951. It was notified as Land Customs station by the central government in 1954 followed by another notification declaring Torkham as Customs Station in 1983.
He said that as the bilateral trade increased coupled with transit trade agreement signed in 1965 between the two neighbouring countries, the status of the station was elevated to the post of Assistant Collector in 1977.
Answering a query, he said despite multi-faceted constraints with particular reference to complex security situation, the performance of Customs Station Torkham in terms of anti-smuggling drive has also been outstanding during the last eight months. During the last eight and a half months, Torkham impounded gold and gold jewelry worth Rs71.45million whereas anti-smuggling staff seized foreign currency worth Rs77.03million.
During above said period, Torkham seized smuggled fertilizers worth Rs9.4million. He said Torkham customs staff also confiscated all kinds of drugs worth Rs43.23million whereas it seized mobile phones worth Rs11.23million. During abovementioned period, the ASO also impounded various chemicals valued Rs1.00million while it seized different kinds of smuggled goods worth Rs15.91million.
During the current Financial Year 2016-17, Torkham Customs station collected Rs1575.48million Customs Duty whereas it received Rs1575.46million during corresponding year 2015-16 under the same head. During FY2016-17, Torkham collected Rs4368.04million all duty taxes whereas the Torkham did Rs5008.5million under the same head during corresponding FY2015-16.
