ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has imposed a major penalty on a customs official for professional negligence and submission of a false examination report, resulting in potential loss to the government exchequer.
According to an official order, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against Muhammad Ali Pechohu, Inspector Customs (BS-16), posted at the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Quetta, on charges of “Inefficiency and Misconduct.” He was placed under suspension in July 2025, and an inquiry was conducted by Muhammad Aftab, Additional Collector Customs (PCS/BS-19), who served as the Inquiry Officer.
The inquiry report, submitted on September 25, 2025, concluded that Mr. Pechohu displayed gross negligence, professional misconduct, and failure to carry out statutory responsibilities. It was noted that he submitted an examination report for a consignment of grapes and plums without proper physical verification, falsely declaring 18,000 kgs of grapes and 5,000 kgs of plums. Re-examination revealed actual quantities of 2,934 kgs of grapes and 20,784 kgs of plums, which would have caused a government revenue loss of approximately Rs. 2 million if the consignment had not been intercepted.
During a personal hearing via Zoom on November 27, 2025, the accused claimed the discrepancy was due to possible pilferage during transport. However, the FBR observed that this claim was unsubstantiated and ignored specific instructions from the supervising officer to conduct a thorough examination.
Considering the gravity of the offense and the fact that the officer had only three years left for superannuation, the FBR decided to impose the major penalty of compulsory retirement with immediate effect. His suspension from July 4, 2025, to date will be treated as leave, as per Revised Leave Rules, 1980.
Mr. Pechohu has the right to appeal this order to the Appellate Authority within 30 days of its communication.
This action highlights FBR’s commitment to strict accountability and ensuring protection of government revenue against professional misconduct in customs operations.
