KARACHI: Collector Port Qasim Appraisement Saeed Akram has initiated an inquiry against Appraising Officer Naeem Khan of the group seven on the allegations of harassing importers for taking bribe and getting himself deputed at Port Qasim on extra-long deputation.
Talking to Customs Today, Collector Saeed Akram said that he had already directed the officials concerned to check the matter on priority basis, adding that it was a very sensitive issue if it was true that the appraisement officer had been involved in threatening the importers.
Saeed Akram, also said that he would collect and scrutinize the record of contravention reports prepared by Appraising Officer Naeem Khan to send the same to the adjudication.
Saeed Akram said that, on the directions of Member Customs Zahid Khokhar and Chief Collector Abdul Rasheed Shaikh, he had implemented a zero tolerance policy against corruption. The collector said that he had been checking the performance record of every subordinate weekly.
It is pertinent to mention here that there were several complaints that some importers of plastic beads and glass beads had been forced to pay bribe on every good declaration by Appraising Officer Naeem Khan and his accomplices at Port Qasim Collectorate.
Appraising Officer Naeem Khan, who is working in group seven of Port Qasim Collectorate, actually came from the valuation directorate on deputation and has spent over five years in appraisement which is a clear cut violation of rules, sources informed Customs Today.
On a question, Saeed Akram assured that he would inquire the matter as this was not in his knowledge previously that Naeem Khan came from the valuation directorate.
In the recent past, Naeem Khan and his accomplices sent many contravention reports about the consignments of importers which were sent back as those were not in accordance with rules, sources said, adding that he misused his authority to earn illegal income.
The collector assured that he would review all the record of contravention reports made by Naeem Khan to ascertain the facts.
