ISLAMABAD: To curb smuggling and stop tax evasion is the top priority of the Customs Department, Deputy Collector Naghma e Tehniat has said.
In an interview with Customs Today at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad, she said that every staff member is working to make the institution stronger.
She said that the Airport Security Force (ASF) had not issued all area passes to the Customs staff for rummaging, but now this matter has been resolved and the ASF has verbally consented to provide all area passes.
She said that the Customs authorities have already written a letter to the FBR for financial assistance for establishment of Canine Section to make the control stronger for prevention of smuggling at the airport.
She said that customs staff deputed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport has thwarted six attempts to smuggle foreign currency amounting to Rs 22.20 million in financial year of 2015-16 and also seized 2,264 bottles of foreign origin liquor worth of Rs 2.41 million.
The deputy collector said that under the supervision of Collector Dr Arslan Sabuctageen the customs staff of (BBIA) has foiled 10 attempts of android mobiles smuggling worth Rs 90.13 million.
She said that one of our scanners was out of order but now there are two scanners installed at BBIA to facilitate the passengers. She said that scanners should be installed at the outside of terminal so chances of interaction of passengers with customs staff is eliminated, which would improve efficiency.
She said that during last month the officials of customs collectorate visited newly constructed site of Islamabad airport in order to propose required infrastructure and facilities for customs staff to curb smuggling attempts. New air port is expected to be functional till by 2016 Naghma said.
Deputy Collector Naghma e Tehniat passed her Masters in International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad and later on got her Masters degree in political economy of late development from London. Later she served in Directorate of Training and Research, customs, sales tax and federal excise duty.
She has worked as Deputy Collector MCC, Deputy Director Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation FBR. She also served as Second Secretary (Customs) FBR Head Quarter Islamabad.
She worked as section officer at Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Livestock and Assistant Director (Export Policy Wing) at Export Promotion Bureau Ministry of Commerce.
She has also won Prime Minister’s merit scholarship in senior school certificate examination, silver medal in Bachelor of Science, professional development program scholarship for masters study at LSE,UK and merit in M.Sc Political Economy of Late Developments, London School of economics.