ISLAMABAD: The customs staff is showing less interest in the interception of heroin at the airports due to stoppage of ‘reward money’ against the seizure of 01 kilogram of heroin.
According to the office letter No Acctts/16359 under the direction of the FBR, the FBR asked the customs staff of the MCC Islamabad to deposit the cash reward money in the account of the MCC Islamabad which was awarded against the seizure of 01 Kilogram of heroin at the BBIA Islamabad in the corresponding June FY16-17.
Sources told CT that the Accounts Department of the MCC Islamabad issued the said letter to Inspectors, Hawaldars and Assistant Collector, BBIA Islamabad, who made the seizures of 01 kilogram of heroin to deposit the award winning money given against the seizures of 01 kilogram fine quality heroin.
When a high official of the Customs Department was contacted, he said that this order was made to fill the gap of audit pera. It was added that, after giving of award money against the seized heroin in last June FY16-17, the auditors found an error in the Customs General Order (CGO) that the Customs Staff of the BBIA Islamabad was awarded an extra reward money to mention the extra value of heroin, official said.
The sources told CT that it is noticeable that, according to the much older Customs General Order (CGO), the seizure of per 01 Kilogram of heroin’s value was mentioned as Rs5000.
The sources told the correspondent that it looks very odd that first the FBR announced the reward money against the seizure of 01 kilogram heroin as Rs2.2million which is also very low against the current market value of per kilogram heroin’s price. It was added that, under said decision, the morale of the customs staff will shatter badly.
Sources further said that the FBR must change the older CGO according to the fresh narcotics values so that customs staff could take full interest in the confiscation. It added that, after distribution of cash awards to customs staff, it looks very awkward to ask them to deposit it into the bank account of the MCC Islamabad. It was told that, during FY16-17 and FY17-18, the customs staff of the MCC Islamabad showed very good performance by impounding huge cases of Ice narcotics and heroin.
