SIALKOT: The Model Customs Collectorate has started taking action against 22 importers in order to recover about Rs 1 billion from them by freezing their bank accounts and attaching moveable and immovable properties.
Officials said that the authorities had already sent notices to defaulters informing them to clear their outstanding dues, adding that warrants of attachment have been issued in all the cases and attachment officers have been appointed afresh and the cases have been allocated to the appraising officers.
The appraising officers have been assigned task to assist the attachment officer in identifying the bank accounts and other movable/immovable properties of the defaulters so that further action for recovery could be taken against them, the officials further added.
The appraising officers would also identify the CNIC numbers, current business, residential address of the defaulters with the help of clearing agents concerned. The officials added that Inland Revenue Services chief commissioner would be approached for getting information about the bank name and account numbers of the defaulters.
An official of Sialkot Customs appraising department said that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman and Customs authorities were of view to take stern action against the defaulters of duty/taxes, adding that all available resources will be utilized for this purpose.
He added that several importers have fled abroad by closing their businesses and there was no nay property registered with their names in Pakistan.