LAHORE: The Pakistan Customs authorities have burnt drugs, smuggled goods and smashed dozens bottles of liquor at Wagha Border on the International Customs Day.
The day is celebrated on January 26 every year under the World Customs Organization slogan. The slogan of the current year is Coordinated Border Management—An inclusive approach for connecting stakeholders.
Pakistan Customs Central Region Chief Collector Rozi Khan Burki, Collector Appraisement Lahore Zahid Khokar, Collector Preventive Lahore Mukarrram Jah, Collector Appeal Lahore Asif Mahmmod Jah, Customs Collector Multan Sarfraz Ahmed Warriach, Customs Collector Faisalabad Tauseef Ahmed Qureshi, Customs Land Freight Unit Wagha Additional Collector Sadia Muneeb, LFU Wagha Deputy Collector Tauqeer Dar, Pakistan Customs Advocate Zafar Iqbal, the officer of Punjab Rangers and other staff attended the session regarding the destruction of drugs and other confiscated goods.
Central Region Chief Collector Rozi Khan Burki burnt the drugs publicly while the bottles of liquor, banned medicines and a large quantity of expired soft drinks were destroyed with the help of a bulldozer. Talking to media, Rozi said that the Pakistan customs was struggling to control the flow of hazardous items to Pakistan. He added that destruction of drugs, liquor, and smuggled items was a clear gesture that there was no any space in Pakistan for such items. He said the goal could be achieved with efficient coordination among all stakeholders.
The other items destroyed in destruction session were pan prag Indian, Indian Tobacco, soaps, black tea, poppy seeds, disposable injectors, cigarettes, chemical boxes, assorted medicine, horse diet, chemical small cardimum, Indian film posters, plastic parts, CD films, SIM cards, USBs, Sticker Papers, books etc.
Talking to Customs Today, LFU Wagha DC Tauqeer Dar said on January 26 of every year Pakistan Customs celebrated the International Customs Day to show consolidation with WCO. He said, “today customs official burn the drugs like charas, heroine, liquor and other smuggled items to discourage the illicit trafficking and smuggling across the border.”
He said that Pakistan customs was working hard to eliminate the smuggling of illegal items that affected our national exchequer. He added that coordination among all stakeholders was need of the hour as WCO also raised the slogan “Co-ordinated Border Management- An inclusive approach for connecting stakeholders.” He said that all state law enforcement agencies and customs have well coordination to stop the smuggling at Wagha Border as Wagha border between Pakistan and India is important route and only land route for trade.
