LAHORE: The Lahore Customs employees have demanded the government declare Saturdays as off day like other federal government departments.
On the condition of anonymity, Customs employees told Customs Today that the Lahore Customs is kept open on Saturdays unlike the other federal government departments.
The employees said that they are directed to attend office on Saturdays while the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Islamabad and the Tax House adjacent to the Lahore Customs House remains open for business, depriving the employees of their right to avail two weekly offs.
While on the other hand, they added that they are supposed to attend the office from 9am to 5pm despite they are serving on Saturdays and not allowed to avail half day even on Friday.
They said that such the unusual timing schedule has ruined their social and personal life.
They demanded the customs top management to ensure Saturdays off like the other federal government departments or be allowed from 9am to 5pm duty timing with half day on Friday.
Conversely, officials dealing with the management side the Lahore customs on the condition not to be named said that the management cancelled off days of Lahore Customs Preventive and Appraisement Saturdays off for the revenue collection and facilitating the business community, helping them to conduct their business and clearance even on Saturdays.
They added that the Customs sections including collectorates of Adjudication and Appeal which are not directly related to revenue collections are kept closed on Saturdays.