ISLAMABAD: Collectorate of Customs Adjudication Collector upheld outright confiscation of 26 seized Qatari vehicles and ordered to recover Rs3845 million under the head of customs duty and taxes including plenty of Rs50 million to respondents.
According to case details, during the month of September 2018, the Customs I&I (Intelligence and investigation) Islamabad recovered 26 NDP (non-duty paid) vehicles from the parking lot of a dairy farm owned by Saifur Rehman, a former chairman of NAB. The said seized vehicles were part of a batch of 50 cars imported by Qatari royals four years ago for hunting purposes. The remaining vehicles are suspected to be in the use of prominent personalities while the Qatar Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the ownership of the cars.
With the reference of order document provided to the correspondent, it said that the Collector Adjudication Islamabad has passed order against seized Qatari vehicles that “therefore uphold the charges and order for outright confiscation of the 26 seized vehicles under the provision of section 156(l) Clause (9)(10-A)(11)(14)(14-A)&(86) of the Customs Act 1969. The Collector Adjudication also ordered the prosecution to recover the customs duties and taxes amounting to Rs 3845 million under the provisions of section 156(1) for the remaining vehicles which are still present in the country and probably in the use of Pakistani citizens without legal authority”, adding that the Collector, ‘also imposed a penalty of Rs50 million jointly on respondents for the misuse of exemption and violation of customs laws, in addition the prosecution is ordered to refer the cases of the clearing agents to the licensing authority for appropriate action under the clearing agents licensing rules”.
