ISLAMABAD: The lower staff of the Customs State Ware House G-12 Islamabad is suffering from the rotten and stinking smell of Indian impounded banana which has covered the entire area.
Almost seven offending vehicles are loaded with rotten Indian banana seized by the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Islamabad which are still unremoved since two weeks. It was told that a very unpleasant smell has covered all the State Ware House which is very hard for customs staff to stay there. The staff requested high officials of the FBR and MCC Islamabad to dispose of the stinking Indian banana as soon as possible.
It may be remembered that the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) in its official communication with Pakistan Customs wrote a letter on 14-3-2018 that fresh fruits and vegetables coming into Pakistan from India through cross LoC trade are carrying bio security risk. Therefore the Indian origin consignments seized by the Preventive Division Model Customs Collectorate, Islamabad, need to be disposed of under Rule 34 (a) (1) of Customs General Order (CGO) 12/2002.
When contacted, sources at the Ministry of Commerce said that Pakistan and India had agreed to allow cross border trade across the LoC with the purpose to benefit inhabitants of both sides of Kashmir. There was a condition that the fruits and vegetables produced in both sides of Kashmir will be allowed as duty free items under the barter system. Under this agreement, only 28 items of fruits and vegetables are allowed to be consumed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir of Pakistani side and Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) of the Indian side.
“Its misuse is rampant as it has become one of the major sources of smuggling of Indian goods into Pakistan’s all markets without paying duty and taxes in our domestic markets,” said the official. The customs officials said that this barter trade agreement was aimed at benefitting the people of both sides of Kashmir but it has now turned into one of the sources of smuggling of goods worth billions of rupees on annual basis.
“Whenever we had tried to stop this rampant smuggling, law and order was created by blocking roads,” said a Customs official and added that there was no objections to the customs if something was imported through the Wagah border or sea by paying duty and taxes to the national kitty.
