KARACHI: Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement West Collector Dr Fareed Iqbal Qureshi has asked the Director Intelligence and Investigation to approach Customs Quetta and Peshawar to obtain requisite information about 499 containers, it is learnt.
Official sources told Customs Today that Dr Qureshi recently forwarded a letter to Director Enforcement, Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation Samina Tasleem Zehra informing about the status of the investigation.
“It is informed that Asfandyar Khan, Deputy Collector of Customs Appraisement West, was deputed along with staff of the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation, Regional Office Karachi to visit the FBR in order to scrutinize cross border certificates (CBCs).
The officials said that the relevant CBCs (in original and photocopies) pertaining to suo moto case no 16/2010 were forwarded by NAB Headquarters Islamabad to Customs Peshawar and Customs Quetta for confirmation of their cross border status,” Collector Dr Qureshi said in the letter available with Customs Today.
“In view of the above, it is requested that Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation, Karachi, being the prosecuting agency, may approach Quetta and Peshawar Customs to obtain the CBCs pertaining to 499 containers,” the collector added.
Separately, Additional Collector (Headquarters) MCC Appraisement West Muhammad Saleem Memon forwarded another letter to the Reader, Special Judge, Customs, Taxation and Anti-Smuggling with the subject “probe and investigation into matters relating to Afghan transit cargo request for provision of original cross border certificates”.
“It is informed that Asfandyar Khan, Deputy Collector of Customs Appraisement West was deputed along with staff of Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation, Regional Office Karachi to visit FBR in order to trace out the CBCs. The deputed officers have informed that the relevant CBCs (in original and photocopies) pertaining to suo moto case No 16/2010 were forwarded by NAB Headquarters Islamabad to MCC Peshawar and MCC Quetta for confirmation of their cross border status,” the letter said.
“Accordingly, a letter has been issued to the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation, Karachi being the prosecuting agency to approach MCC Quetta and MCC Peshawar to obtain requisite CBC’s pertaining to 499 containers for onward submission to this court of special judge”, it concluded.
