LAHORE: The agent mafia has hijacked the Motor Branch of Excise and Taxation Department as it is minting million of rupees from innocent citizens in the name of vehicle registration.
This was disclosed by the sources in a survey conducted by Customs Today to discuss the misery of citizens at Excise and Taxation Motor Branch here on Monday.
This survey was conducted on receiving number of complaints from the citizen that they are being fleeced by the agent mafia at E & T Motor Branch at large regarding payment of token tax, registration of vehicles, transfers of vehicles and property tax.
Citizens told that Excise and Taxation Department is receiving billions of rupees from them through number of Levis imposed by the government, but facilities providing to them are zero even after many claims by the authorities.
Sources said that almost every clerk or inspector sitting on registration window was receiving Rs 200 to Rs 2, 000 per registration as a gift apart from genuine registration fee.
Every day average of 200 to 250 vehicles are being registered in Excise Fareed Kot House and every owner of the vehicle is forced to pay Rs 500 to 1000 as a gift to the staff.
An agent told Customs Today that for every vehicle registration they are paying Rs 200 to Rs 1500 to Excise officers. Rate of the gift for Excise officers is as per rate of the vehicle.
A citizen Naeem, who was present in Excise office for registration of his bike told Customs Today that he went to information center, but no proper guideline was provided him and ultimately he was contacted by an agent when he was standing at the lobby of the office. Now he is waiting for the agent, who is inside the office for his work.
Sources said that almost every member of the Excise office is involved in earning money by unfair means and most the officers have became millionaire by earning thousands of rupees every day. This practice is continue on routine basis and higher officers of the E&T know it very well, but they are not ready to take any serious step against this mafia.
When Motor Branch Director Suhail Arshad inquired about the agent mafia and staff he said that we have given this task to ETO Malik Saleem to eliminate agent mafia and bribery from its roots. He is working on this on routine basis and department will take further action in this regard.
Sources further told that citizens have no direct approach to the Director Suhail Arshad from the day he appointed as the Director of the Motor Branch. While during the Directorship of Imran Aslam doors of the office were open for every citizen and everybody was free to inquire about the issues and to complaint him about attitude of the staff.
Suhail Arshad was appointed after new Secretary Ali Tahir took control of the department early this year. He was working in Audit Department before his appointment in Motor Branch.
