LAHORE: Senior investigative journalist Asad Karal thanked Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar for ordering his admission to CMH Lahore.
Asad Kharal said, “I was treated properly as per advise of the three Brig doctors. I am really thankful to Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, worthy Chief of Army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and worthy Chairman NAB Justice Retired Javed Iqbal for giving me inspiration to serve my nation at any cost.”
“I did everything for my beloved country as well as beloved people of Pakistan and overseas Pakistanis in particular.” Asad Kharal was attacked and seriously injured by armed assailants few days ago and admitted to Services Hospital but he was not properly treated there.
It is pertinent to mention that Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of a complaint filed by senior journalist Asad Kharal against illegal clearances through green channel and ordered report/comments from concerned quarters within 10 days while the court associate sent the order copy to the Chairman NAB for necessary action.
According to details, the chief justice took notice on a complaint accompanied by an appeal published in Customs Today about Rs 1000 billion mega scam of green channel illegal clearances.
It is worthy to mention here that Customs Today has been reporting on abuse of green channel since past many years. Mega brands like Mobilink and QMobile were reported to be grossly abusing Green Channel facility with connivance of Customs staff. Customs Today exposed mega smuggling scam of Digicom Company (Q-Mobile) as the company cleared more than 750 containers through green channel.
On 2nd February 2018, Customs Today exposed a smuggling bid of 15,520 liters of dual use precursor acetic anhydride worth around $1.5 million at Port Qasim. The acetic anhydride is a main ingredient for preparing narcotics substance as well as making highly dangerous explosives by the terrorist outfits. Then, Customs Today published several reports about betel nuts smuggling worth billions of rupees through ports at Port Qasim and Appraisement East Collectorate.
These reports led to multiple raids, tens of FIRs and recoveries of illegally cleared goods worth billions of rupees. In fact, in a single raid at a SITE area godown, 600,000 Kgs. of betel nuts worth Rs 1.5 billion were seized. Notwithstanding, these actions were only as token in nature and is a drop in the ocean whereas much more needs to be done. Customs Today also published investigative reports about changing of strategies by green channel smugglers as they started clearing illegal goods through yellow channel & TP.
Millions of Pakistanis pinned high hopes on Chief Justice Mian Saqib and Chairman NAB Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal that they would eradicate corruption mafia from the country especially in Customs Department as green channel smuggling is inflicting heavy losses on the national exchequer. The chief justice and the NAB chairman already took suo moto notices of mega corruption cases in Pakistan and even Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as prime minister in a historic decision announced in the Panama Papers case.
