KARACHI: Entire Pakistan economy is suffering from the smugglers but the genuine importers suffer the most from green channel smuggling, yellow channel smuggling and TP smuggling. These importers get their goods examined then pay all the heavy duties, taxes but smugglers of green channel, etc. do not pay any duties and taxes and remove their goods from the ports without any hurdle.
Sources said when same smuggled goods reach the local markets then only these goods get sold as they are 30-40% lower in value than the legally imported goods. Saleability of legally imported goods has become very low because of the increasing cost of duties & taxes. Due to low saleability, the legal importers are decreasing their purchases and clearances.
Sources said moreover, legal importers who get their goods examined at the ports are also forced to pay heavy bribe. This bribe is called ‘speed money’ by Customs staff like Dost Muhammad. Without such speed money, legal importers’ clearances are delayed by Dost at Karachi east collectorate. There is an entire ‘bhatta’ mafia of Customs officials under Dost who are very powerful and even the collector is fearful of this mafia and does not take any action against them.
Sources said due to the increasing customs duties and ‘bhatta’ in the name of ‘speed money’ at the ports, the legal trade is facing extinction. This would mean zero customs revenues in the next financial year!
Sources said in our budget, the government has shown us rosy picture that they have increased duties on imports which means more revenue in coming years. Based on these projections of more revenue they have allowed more expenses. But the fact is that they have not considered the ‘bhatta’ mafia of customs staff like Dost and also not considered the green channel smuggling at the ports which is actually killing the businesses of legal importers. When such ‘bhatta’ mafia and green channel smuggling would kill the businesses of legal importers then how will our nation get more revenues!!
As evidence we have got letters of various importers who have complained about Dost. Goods of one importer Hilal Leathers were delayed by Dost in November 2017. Dost was creating various excuses for not clearing the goods in time and hence the importer wrote a letter about this delay to the collector. It is an open fact that whenever goods are delayed by any customs staff then the importer is supposed to visit the collectorate. Upon such visit, customs staff like Dost asks for ‘speed money’.
Sources said in fact, when the importer does not visit the collectorate even after delaying of his consignment then the customs official literally calls the importer in person so as to negotiate ‘speed money’ in person. Another example is that Dost called an importer right from Multan to meet him. The entire system of customs clearance under WeBOC (Web Based One Customs) is designed by technical staff in such a way that the customs staff does not meet the importer. It is well known that when customs staff meets the importer then he demands ‘speed money’ from importer. But despite this, the ‘bhatta’ mafia of Dost calls the importers to meet in person. This way, the importers especially from other cities when called have to leave their 2-3 days work and travel to Karachi and then get harassed by the customs staff. Also, delay of each day in clearance increases cost for the importer in millions as he will have to pay demurrage and detention to port and shipping company on daily basis. To save these losses and also to save oneself from the pains of travelling and standing in lines for the whole day at the customs house, the importers get blackmailed into paying the ‘speed money’.
Sources said in one instance, the importer complained to Collector about harassment and criminal activities of Dost. Upon seeing the letter, Dost increased his harassment of the importer. He personally called the importer all the way from Multan to Karachi. When the importer reached Karachi Customs House then Dost threatened him and ultimately confined the importer in a room.
Sources revealed Dost wrote some pages with his own hands and forcibly took signatures of the importer on those documents. Dost did not allow the importer to even read the documents. It is totally illegal for any customs official to write a document himself and then take signatures of the party. This is not allowed even in police. If some document is required from any importer then the customs official has to make request/order in writing and also mention under what section of the law he is authorised to ask for the specific document. After receiving the letter from customs then the importer will reply in writing. This reply is not allowed by law to be written by the customs staff himself but will be written by the importer or any of his assistants or consultants and then the importer would sign the document. Importer cannot be forced to sign a document written by the customs staff in his handwriting and choice of words. But unfortunately both the police and Customs do this illegal act. Our law is very clear that such a practice is entirely illegal.
Sources said after escaping from the confinement, the importer left the customs house and wrote a letter to the collector on this and also gave an application to the local police station to register an FIR against Dost under section of kidnapping. (Application copy available with us).
The duty of Customs staff is stopping smuggling and facilitating the legal importers. But Dost and his ‘bhatta’ mafia are doing the very opposite. They are facilitating smuggling and stopping legal imports. With such acts, we can imagine what will happen to our national economy soon.
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