LAHORE: After the CJP and the NAB Chairman took notices against green channel mega scam, the FIA has launched a large-scale inquiry against Customs officials for their alleged involvement in billions of rupees corruption, embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.
Sources told Customs Today that FIA has summoned senior officials of Lahore Customs on June 27, 28 and 29, 2018 in this regard. Experts say Lahore Customs has nothing to do with green channel clearances as green channel consignments are totally supervised by Karachi Customs.
Sources said FIA has constituted a team under supervision of Additional Director FIA Syed Farid Ali comprising Assistant Directors Aman Ullah Khan, Syed Hashim Raza and Rana Haider Abbas to conduct inquiry against allegations of corruption, embezzlement and misappropriation of billions of rupees by officers and officials of Customs Intelligence & Investigation under Enquiry No 05/2018 of FIA CCC Lahore.
Earlier, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and NAB Chairman took notices on complaints regarding Rs 1000 billion green channel mega scam and ordered the concerned quarters of FBR including Member Customs Zahid Khokhar, Chief Collector Appraisement South Abdul Rasheed Sheikh and DG Customs Intelligence Shaukat Ali to submit reply in this regard. Now the FIA has also taken up the issue of corruption and green channel smuggling in connivance with Customs officials.
Sources said DG Intelligence submitted his report to the FBR Chairman Tariq Pasha and admitted that green channel facility has been mercilessly abused by some syndicates in connivance with a few corrupt customs officers.
DG Customs Intelligence Shaukat Ali gave a letter to FBR Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha admitting that green channel is ‘mercilessly misused’ with the possible connivance of customs staff and action needed against customs staff.
According to details, the chief justice took notice on a complaint accompanied by an appeal published in Customs Today about Rs 1000 billion mega scam of green channel illegal clearances.
It is worthy to mention here that Customs Today has been reporting on abuse of green channel since past many years. Mega brands like Mobilink and QMobile were reported to be grossly abusing Green Channel facility with connivance of Customs staff. Customs Today exposed mega smuggling scam of Digicom Company (Q-Mobile) as the company cleared more than 750 containers through green channel.
Then, Customs Today published several reports about betel nuts smuggling worth billions of rupees through ports at Port Qasim and Appraisement East Collectorate.
