MULTAN: Business community of South Punjab has expressed grave concerns over misuse of authority from Customs Intelligence and Investigation staff and their blackmailing against genuine importers for the sake of bribe. The duty of Customs Intelligence is to curb smuggling in the country but they are busy in examination of cleared consignments of genuine importers who cleared their goods from Port Qasim Karachi after proper examination and valuation of goods.
This was stated by Managing Director of M/s S.M Foods Multan Waqas Hafeez in talking with Customs Today. He told that genuine businessmen are pushed towards wall due to monopoly of few Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan members. Businessmen tried to perform their work in peaceful environment by following every rule and regulation of country. We even don’t try with any government clerk and respect every one for the promotion of our business and businessman can’t afford conflict with any one because it will spoil appropriate working circumstances.
He stated that businessmen import their raw materials and required machinery for managing business calmly and honestly. Customs Intelligence and Investigation has no right to examine and appraisement of import shipments. Majority of cases intercepted by Directorate General of Customs Intelligence and Investigation have been cleared after finding no discrepancy but the exercise caused unnecessary delay to consignments and harassment to importers.
It is necessary to mention here that Customs Intelligence and Investigation intercepted few legal shipments near Sukkar region, which were cleared after completion of their whole exercise by adopting necessary procedure before clearance in which appraiser and examiner properly done their job. Customs Intelligence and Investigation detained the shipments without any reason and demanded for additional money in shape of kickbacks otherwise whole consignment will be seized and form the contravention report on the differential duty tax amount. When Customs Intelligence and Investigation have no power of appraisement then how they will calculate duty and taxes on import items. Because they are only seizing agency and they have not practical knowledge on valuation of import goods.
Majority of consignments intercepted found no contravention by Customs Intelligence and Investigation but they create unnecessary delay for importers for clearance of shipments. Customs Intelligence and Investigation hectic exercise ended in vain as some of the cases were cleared on court intervention and others were cleared after check but it cost precious time of importers who are investing their investment on country for its development and paying huge amount of taxes.
He told that sense of insecurity has been created by Customs Intelligence and Investigation in the country for governing businesses which is not good sign for business point of view. Customs Intelligence is creating huge unrest in the importers and associated persons in country due to their illegal and we have demanded from chairman Federal Board of Revenue to take strict action against corrupt Officers. Business community requested Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Tariq Pasha and Member Customs Zahid Khokar to take stern action against Customs Intelligence and Investigation for nourishing business in country.
