ISLAMABAD: Collectorate of Customs Gwadar Collector Dr. Tahir Qureshi, has said that after a halt due to COVID19 Pandemic, the Iran border has now opened and clearance of essential food commodities is taking place with a special schedule and timing issued by Ministry of Interior (MOI), in coordination with Frontier Corpse (FC) Baluchistan, district administrations of the Panjgur, Gwadar and Turbat.
Talking with Customs Today via telephone the Collector Gwadar said that the Customs Collectorate (MCC) Gwadar collected total revenue amounting to Rs2822.797 million under all heads in very last two months (March-April) of COVID-19, furthermore the Collectorate has also destroyed seized smuggled contrabands and narcotics value of Rs 700 million in the first week of May.
Providing details of arrangements put into practice for safety of customs staff against COVID-19 pandemic, he said that we are working for being essential service and following all precautions being issued by the Government and Federal Board of Revenue time and again. We have purchased PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) kits from additional funds given by the FBR to us like masks, gloves hand sanitizer disinfectants temp guns etc.
Answering to a query he said that the Iran border has now provisionally opened and clearance of essential food commodities for neighboring districts with Iran is taking place with a special schedule and timing in coordination with district administration of the Panjgur, Gwadar and Turbat, he added that SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and instructions have been provided to the Customs staff working at border area that how to handle goods at border stations.
Moreover, he said Gwadar Port is operational where similar precautions and SOPs in wake of COVID-19 Pandemic are being followed while clearing the essential equipment for New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) which is part of CEPC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor).
Answering to another query about performance of ASO (Anti-Smuggling Organization) Gwadar he said that since March 2020 the ASO registered 31 numbers of seizers of different goods and vehicles of worth of Rs131 million while made 2 cases of narcotics above hundred million. Telling the details of narcotics, he said that the ASO seized 158 kg of Charas, 32 kg Opium, and 02 kg of heroin all worth of Rs. 106 million.
He further told that during last two months of Covid-19c that is March-April 2020, ASO Gwadar seized vehicles used for carrying smuggled goods worth Rs65 million, non-duty paid vehicles worth Rs4.5 million, smuggled foreign origin diesel worth R 30 million, betel nuts Rs 25 million and miscellaneous goods in amounting Rs.5 million.
