KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has examined Appraising Officer Appraisement East Azhar Abbas and Appraising Officer Appraisement East Aamir Hussain in an inquiry against officials/officers of Customs Department and others regarding illegal import of around 930 containers of electronics and grey fabrics in the garb of second hand clothing, causing loss to national exchequer.
Sources told Customs Today that the NAB had issued call-up notices to both of the above-mentioned officers for 23 September 2019 and also issued call-up notices to Appraising Officer Appraisement East Ghullam Asghar Mirrani, Principal Appraiser Appraisement East Abdul Qayyoum and Appraising Officer Appraisement East Khurram Rafique for 24 September, 25 September and 27 September respectively. Failing to comply with the notice may entail penal consequences as provided under section 2 of the schedule of the NAO, 1999.
Chairman NAB Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal directed the officers of the watchdog to speed up the process of accountability. He has also directed them to eradicate corruption from different government departments including Customs, to stop revenue leakages and loss to the national exchequer.
Sources further told that in the similar case the NAB issued non-bailable arrest warrants of accused Muhammad Idrees son of Yousuf bearing CNIC # 42301-6816256-9, Muhammad Ali son of Muhammad Idrees bearing CNIC # 42301-7975350-0 and Imran Khan son of Saif-ur-Rehman bearing CNIC # 42201-6884666-7.
Sources told Customs Today that NAB Additional Director after approval of DG NAB Karachi had written to the Superintendent, Central Jail, Jail Chowrangi, Karachi, for execution of warrants of arrests-inquiry against officials/officers of Customs Department and others regarding illegal import of electronics and grey fabrics in the garb of second hand clothing, causing loss to national exchequer.
According to the details, the high value and high tariff goods were being cleared from Appraisement East in the garb of used clothing. Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) of MCC Preventive Karachi had detected the case and Deputy Collector Akbar Jan efficiently pursuing the investigations arrested Aslam. Aslam was arrested after an already arrested accused Imran Khan shared valuable information with the ASO team. Imran Khan was arrested from Askari-IV a few days ago in relation of clearing high value goods and restricted goods in the garb of used clothing from green and yellow channel. He is also involved in fraudulent removal of seized/confiscated containers and replacement of transshipment cargo, etc.
Sources said around 80 containers of high value goods including electronics were cleared through mis-declaration. After that Appraisement East lodged an FIR pertaining to a container, which already was stopped by ASO Preventive. Collector Appraisement East Nadeem Memon has already directed the staff to properly examine every imported consignment of used clothing to stop revenue leakages through mis-declarations.
Now the NAB is pursuing the case and issued call-up notices to customs appraisers including Azhar Abbas, Aamir Hussain, Ghullam Asghar Mirrani, Khurram Rafique and Principal Appraiser Abdul Qayyoum to ascertain their role in the case.
