ISLAMABAD: Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan, a BS-22 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, is transferred and posted as Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)/Secretary Revenue Division, with immediate effect and until further orders. PM Imran Khan has given him mandate to enhance FBR’s revenue, curb corruption from the Board and arrest Rs 1000 billion losses to the national exchequer through misuse of customs green channel.
Sources told he was presently awaiting posting in Establishment Division. He is honest and devoted official of Pakistan Administrative Service and served at key posts.
Sources said, following PTI’s agenda of curbing corruption from country’s institutions as well as FBR, Muhammad Jahanzeb is given mandate by Imran Khan to take action against Rs 1000 billion green channel scam at Karachi ports. Imran Khan in his victory and other speeches after taking oath as Prime Minister announced to curb corruption and enhance FBR’s revenue.
It is pertinent 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.
On 2nd February 2018, Customs Today exposed a smuggling bid of 15,520 liters of dual use precursor acetic anhydride worth around $1.5 million at Port Qasim. The acetic anhydride is a main ingredient for preparing narcotics substance as well as making highly dangerous explosives by the terrorist outfits. Then, Customs Today published several reports about betel nuts smuggling worth billions of rupees through ports at Port Qasim and Appraisement East Collectorate.
These reports led to multiple raids, tens of FIRs and recoveries of illegally cleared goods worth billions of rupees. In fact, in a single raid at a SITE area godown, 600,000 kgs of betel nuts worth Rs 1.5 billion were seized. Notwithstanding, these actions were only as token in nature and is a drop in the ocean whereas much more needs to be done. Customs Today also published investigative reports about changing of strategies by green channel smugglers as they started clearing illegal goods through yellow channel & TP.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan also took notice of the green channel illegal clearances and the court associate sent a copy to the NAB chief for necessary action.
