KARACHI: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is not showing its willingness to withdraw the names of Customs officials from the FIR, registered for misusing passport of a passenger for importing a vehicle.
Earlier, the Customs Department in a letter to FBR requested the board to persuade FIA authorities to withdraw the names of Customs officials. According to the letter, the department has not found any proof of corruption by the Customs officials and termed the FIR as unwarranted against the Customs staff.
However, the FIA officials were of the view that nomination of Customs officials in the FIR was based on investigation hence they were not ready to withdraw their names. Meanwhile, the confrontation between the two agencies is adversely impacting the clearance of imported vehicles, which has virtually blocked, creating problems for commercial importers.
The FIA Crime Circle, Karachi during the course of investigation scrutinised immigration data base and the entry/exit stamp affixed on the said passport were found fake/forged thus arriving at the conclusion that the clearing agent had committed fraud with the complainant from whom the passport was taken for issuance of visa. The FIA officials have further nominated six more officials of the Collectorate in the FIR.