KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to beef up security at Jinnah International Airport in order to curb smuggling.
Through a letter, the FBR has directed the chief collector Enforcement (South) to increase the number of customs officials at arrival and departure lounges of the airport.
Currently, there are around 150 customs officials who work in shifts at the airport, including preventive officers, senior preventive officers and superintendent of preventive services.
It may be mentioned here that the Pakistan Customs is already facing acute shortage of manpower and there would certainly be a great challenge for Customs Department to fulfill the requirements of the FBR.
The sources informed Customs Today that the Chief Collector-Enforcement-South has decided to write a letter once again to the FBR chairman about the shortage of staff in the collectorate. Sources said that FBR already directed all customs collectorates to adopt zero tolerance policy towards smugglers and use all available resources to curb smuggling attempts at airports.
Sources also disclosed that due to strict security measures there is decrease being witnessed in smuggling attempts through airports and other ports of the country.
