ISLAMABAD: Same person, who kept on saying that customs department is innocent in green channel Rs 1000 billion mega scam as the green channel is responsibility of the automation or software department, is allegedly found involved in the mega scam.
According to details, first of all, DG Customs Intelligence Shaukat Ali gave a letter to FBR Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha admitting that green channel is ‘mercilessly misused’ with the possible connivance of customs staff and action needed against customs staff.
Then, sources exposed that head of customs is also director at the private limited company that develops and manages software for customs. The company name is Pakistan Revenue Automation Pvt. Ltd. (PRAL). Hence, it was only a lame excuse of head of Customs that he is clear in the mega scam and he knows nothing about green channel as it is part of automation and not falling under his domain. But after this shocking revelation that the same person is also director at the private limited company and he is the boss of the staff who are developing and maintaining green channel software side, hence he is responsible in the Rs. 1000 billion mega scam of green channel both on operations side of customs as well as automation side of PRAL. He cannot run away like this from taking responsibility.
Sources further revealed that customs department has not hired any other company to handle the security of the green channel system which is exclusively with PRAL. In such situation where head of Customs and director of PRAL both is the same person then how is the security of green channel system safe?
Customs Today succeeded to prove its reports regarding green channel smuggling as Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of the issue and Directorate General Customs Intelligence & Investigation (I&I) admitted that green channel facility has been mercilessly abused by some syndicates in connivance with a few corrupt customs officers.
Director General Customs I&I Shaukat Ali gave full weight to the complaint to the extent that the green channel facility at the ports has been “excessively misused” and recommended urgent action to arrest haemorrhage of state revenue. This complaint was submitted by senior investigative journalist Asad Kharal to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and repeatedly published in Customs Today newspaper against green channel illegal clearances worth Rs 1000 billion.
In a report submitted to FBR Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha after Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of the complaint of large-scale misuse of green channel facility and ordered FBR Member Customs, Chief Collector Appraisement South and DG I&I to submit reply within 10 days, the Directorate General Customs Intelligence put up total blame on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Customs Department while confirming ‘merciless’ misuse of green channel facility with support of a few customs officials.
After CJP’s notice, FBR advised Directorate General Customs Intelligence to submit its report. As per report, Directorate General Customs Intelligence & Investigation (I&I) placed on record that Green Channel facility has been ‘callously’ abused by some syndicates of unscrupulous fraudsters and the possibility of connivance of few customs officers cannot be ruled out. The above comment emanates from the Directorate General’s experience of detection of Green Channel related cases and adverse reaction of some officers/officials in Customs hierarchy.
The Directorate General also mentioned in the report that strong recommendations of placing under suspension some Customs officers/officials suspected to be involved in facilitating the misuse of Green Channel facility repeatedly made by the Directorate General have been ignored by FBR. Thus, the manipulators inside the department do not feel discouraged enough to refrain from extending their helping hand to the fraudsters.
In addition to the above, whenever the Directorate General detected cases of misuse of Green Channel in the recent past, collectorates particularly MCC East Karachi, MCC West Karachi, MCC Port Qasim and MCC Appraisement Lahore have reacted sharply against the action taken by the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence & investigation and attempted to protect the fraudsters.
Directorate General Customs Intelligence & Investigation notes that non-action on part of FBR and adverse reaction of collectorates practically placed hurdles in the way of the Directorate General Customs Intelligence & Investigation to effectively check the misuse of the green channel facility at ports.
As per details, Customs Today extensively covered and reported since past few years the misuse of green channel facility and published repeatedly an appeal of senior investigative journalist Asad Kharal to the Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and the NAB chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal to take notice of Rs 1000 billion green channel illegal clearances. The Chief Justice took notice of the complaint, as Asad Kharal appeared before the court and submitted the complaint regarding green channel smuggling, and ordered the FBR Member Customs Zahid Khokhar, Chief Collector Appraisement South Abdul Rasheed Sheikh and DG Intelligence Shaukat Ali to submit reply within 10 days. The court associate also sent the notice copy to the Chairman NAB for notice and necessary action.
