LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to conduct inquiry into the reported corruption, patronizing of smuggling and harassment of Customs officials by Director General Customs Intelligence & Investigation Shaukat Ali and ex-Customs official Mushtaq Sarghana within two weeks.
Syed Amir Shabbir, official at Customs Intelligence, Gujranwala submitted an application to Chairman FBR and also filed a petition before the court alleging corruption, patronizing of smuggling on the part of DG Shaukat Ali. Amir Shabbir also highlighted role of Mushtaq Sarghana, an official dismissed due to corruption, as the front man of Shaukat Ali in the entire empire. However, Syed Amir Shabbir was subjected to departmental victimization and was transferred in violation of rules and laws.
Amir Shabbir, has however, withdrawn his petition regarding his transfer and prayed to the court to take-up his earlier petition pertaining to the corruption allegations against DG Shaukat Ali. The honorable court has directed FBR to decide the application of Syed Amir Shabbir after providing proper hearing to all the concerned including Amir Shabbir strictly in accordance with law expeditiously.
There are a number of irregularities and violations of rules, laws prevalent at the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & Investigation-FBR, wherein evasion of government’s legitimate revenue is patronized and officials raising voice against the state of affairs are victimized. In a very recent instance, Inspector Hamid Habib was suspended and then relieved of duty as he had raised voice against the wrong doings at Customs Intelligence & Investigation. Sources said rogue elements in Customs Intelligence & Investigation are patronizing this dirty business.
There is a consistent pattern of shuffling officials in the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence and officials with questionable reputation are posted at sensitive posts, all this on the directives of the top Customs Intelligence officer.
Shaukat Ali is said to be allegedly patronizing certain unscrupulous elements and he has been victimizing officers and officials for performing their duties to the letter. Making transfers and postings is the primary tool of Director General Shaukat Ali for pressurizing and harassing staff of Customs Intelligence & Investigation. Even BS-16 officers are transferred to other provinces.
