LAHORE: Research and training are immense important in upliftment and growth of any organisation, thus, they must never be done away with in any way. Customs service playing vital role in collecting important revenues, but the need of imparting training to customs officers has increased enormously because at present it is also being known as an eminent law enforcing agency worldwide.
These views were expressed by Directorate General of Training and Research (Customs) Lahore Director Saima Shahzad in an exclusive interview with Customs Today here the other day.
Saima Shahzad, who is known as an outstanding, upright and devoted customs officer in the department, did her Masters in English in 1994 from Kinnaird College Lahore, qualified CSS in 1995 and joined Customs Group in 1996. She has worked at various collectorates and directorates in Rawalpindi and Lahore. She worked in sales tax for five years. She has done numerous short term and long term training in the country as well as abroad. She was posted as Director, Directorate General of Training and Research (Customs) Lahore in October, 2016.
During the recent interview, she said, “training was her passion and that her team was totally committed to improve the training strategy and modules.”
She informed that the role of customs service is changing from being a strictly revenue collecting agency to a law enforcement agency, therefore, the need of imparting relevant training has now increased manifold.
In answer to a question on new initiatives undertaken by DGTR (Customs) Lahore, she informed that 112 newly recruited sepoys from all directorates and collectorates of the Central Region recently finished their physical and two months specialized academic training program.
The training was arranged by Directorate General of Training and Research (Customs) Lahore in collaboration with the Civil Defense Training School, she informed, adding that the sepoys were taught customs law, rules, procedures etc in addition to other relevant modules.
They were also trained for disaster management, bomb disposal and other safety and security techniques by the Civil Defense authorities, she shared, adding that she was satisfied that the newly recruited sepoys have joined their respective stations throughout Punjab after undergoing the best possible training.
In addition to that, DGTR (Customs) Lahore regularly holds Mandatory Capacity Building Programs for BS 1o7-20 officers of the Pakistan Customs, the director said.
“Multiple other relevant trainings are being imparted to the customs workforce BS 1-16. Under the external outreach program, DGTR Customs, regularly arranges relevant training for members of the business community like LCCI, SMEDA, American Business Forum, Pakistan Tanners Association, APTMA, PAAPAM and Pakistan Furniture Council, said informed.
DGTR (Customs) Lahore has also initiated a need based training program through which training are arranged after taking into consideration the need of the field formations, she held, explaining, under this program, a crash course on Investigation and Prosecution was held at DGTR (Customs) Lahore which was greatly appreciated by the participants.
Madam Saima Shahzad, Director DGTR (Customs) Lahore concluded by saying that training and research are most important components of an organisation and they must not be ignored. She reiterated her resolve to make DGTR (Customs) Lahore an effective and efficient regional office, imparting quality training to the customs workforce.
