ISLAMABAD: Following the border management steps adopted under the National Action Plan (NPA) the anti smuggling measures intensified in Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa (KPK), tremendous increase in enforcement activities lead to increase in seizers, however, drastic decrease in value of exports is alarming, during previous years (2013,14,and 2015) exports were higher under value of billion of rupees against the export during financial year 2015,16 and 17, if effective steps not taken it is fear that trade amounting to billion of rupees will be shifted to Chahbahar border Iran from Torkham.
These views were expressed by by Qurban Ali Khan Collector Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Peshawar while talking with Customs Today during an exclusive interview. Qurban Ali said that following the anti smuggling measures at international borders the Collectorate collected revenue of Rs1.33 billion through seizers of smuggled items during initial six months (July to December) FY16-17.
The collector said that MCC have shown an increase of Rs681.7 million in the value of seized goods during the corresponding period of financial year (July-December) 2015-16 adding that in January FY-16-17 the Collectorate following the anti smuggling measures at border collected revenue Rs290.066 million through seizers of 75 vehicle including offending and non customs paid vehicles.
Collector Qurban Ali said that after the implementation of border measure the performance of ASO Peshawar become outstanding as it collected Rs.253.436 million through seized smuggled goods and by impounding 51 offending and 24 NDP vehicles during the month of January FY16-17 adding that Collectorate collected revenue of Rs.1567.95 million during first 07 months of July to January FY16-17 under head of anti smuggling activity to seized various kind of smuggled goods and vehicles.
Answering to a query collector said for the data collection the MCC has also taken a number of steps to ensure better data collection and analysis, adding that attainment and subsequent analysis of the customs data was strategic priority for better border management, the customs have a network for gathering data on the movement of different consignments around the world and the analysis of the same enabled the authorities to make the effective decisions.
Answering a query regarding decline in exports he said that drastic decrease in value of exports in corresponding times is also see in 2013-14 the Torkham did business under value of Rs.127761.70 million as for as during FY14-15 it did business under value of Rs.126337.10 million and unluckily the Torkham did exports under value of Rs.89507.68 million during FY15-16 adding that Torkham did business up to December 2014 under value of Rs.63168.51 million, up to December 2015 it did business under value of Rs.42714.82 million as for as the Torkham did exports up to December 2016 under value of Rs.38409.35 million the above said declined figures showed -39.20% decline up to December 2014 against exports value up to December 2016 and comparison of exports showed -10.08% declined up to December 2015 against exports up to December 2016.
Qurban Ali Khan said that at Torkham can be attributed to non tariff barriers like other agency checking by departments like FC, Khasadars and Police etc adding that joint checking along with Customs is best solution for better results regarding to curb the smuggling trends of currency, gold, narcotics and other smuggled goods.
