MULTAN: Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Multan Range Additional Director Nisar Ahmad claimed that the Customs had captured smuggled goods worth more than Rs 205.4 million over the past seven months.
Addressing a press conference here, he declared that the Customs was fighting against an enemy (smugglers) having modern gadgets, weaponry and ample manpower, adding that various state-run agencies were supporting the fight to control smuggling and root out the menace from the country.
Mr Nisar referred to the acute shortage of manpower, saying that apart from lack of requisite manpower, 80 percent of the existing manpower had crossed the sixties. “In such a situation how can the Customs, with its meagre resources, fight the smuggling and materialise the dream of its elimination,” the I&I additional director posed a question.
Mr Nisar pointed out that the Customs was also faced with shortage of warehouses and was compelled to pay hefty amounts in fares to owners of private warehouses for keeping confiscated goods.
The I&I additional director demanded the government to instill new blood in the department to improve its operations and build its capacity.
Mr Nisar also proposed the establishment of “Custom Border Force” to curb cross-border smuggling from Iran and Afghanistan.
