KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has started an anti-corruption campaign in the department, under which server action is being taken against corrupt officers.
Sources said that under the campaign, Customs Appraisement Chief Collector Abdul Rashid Sheikh and other senior officers are raiding different Collectorates, Directorates and Cells.
Recently, the Chief Collector along with Deputy Collector Imran Rasool have raided Collectorate of Customs Appraisement West and seized Rs3 million from ‘corrupt Customs officers’. During the raid, the officers recovered Rs2.7 million ‘bribe money’ from an Appraising officer and Rs0.3 million from a Principal Appraiser posted at the collectorate.
Sources said that the Chief Collector is taking stern action against the corrupt officers and officials, who are posted at Customs House and all the collectorates, directorates and cells and involved in illegal customs clearance process and also have links with ‘speed money mafia’.
Sources said that the confiscated amount was given back to some customs agents after an investigation. These customs agents were of the view that they handed over this money to the accused Customs officers ‘for safety’ during the raid.
About campaign, Customs Appraisement Chief Collector Abdul Rashid Sheikh said that the corrupt mafia is active in all the collectorates of Customs House which takes bribe from the people for getting their ‘problems’ solved.
“Pakistan Customs’ high-ups have started monitoring their lower staff to take action against different agents and mafias in the Customs House,” he said, adding that the purpose of launching this anti-corruption drive is also to impose rules and laws in the House to facilitate economic activities.
The Chief Collector said that the FIRs would be registered against corrupt elements in the FBR and new official orders in this regard would be issued in coming days.
