PESHAWAR: The Customs Department has to suffer a loss of millions of rupees due to corruption and bribery done by the customs officals at the Customs Dry Port Peshawar for which no serious steps have been taken yet.
A customs offical of the Investigation and Intellegence Wing informed Customs Today on Monday that the inquiry conducted against Deputy Collector Ather Naveed was submitted to the Collector Customs Gull Rehman in December 2017 on which further adjudication orders were passed.
Investigation against clearance of illegal consigments through extended LC from 2015 to 2017 by the Customs Appraisers at Customs Dry Port Peshawar has revealed that Deputy Collector Ather Naveed has been hiding behind Peshawar High Court’s order after causing the exchequer a loss of billions of rupees.
No inquiry against the Deputy Collector was completed in the past due to his appeal as a client to the law courts. Due to delay tactics, the inquiry carried out against Deputy Collector Ather Naveed in the scam of clearing 701 illegal consigments is pending since six months after the retirement of one Principal Appraiser Shahid Akbar which is also a due concerns of the investigation.
This particular inquiry was executed by the Customs Intellengence and Investigation Wing of the Customs FBR Peshawar which recommended a high level inquiry against Deputy Collector Ather Naveed. The departmental inquiry against Deputy Collector Ather Naveed has held him as an accussed along with three appraisers and three superintendents. Still no fruitful steps were taken against Deputy Collector Ather Naveed. Deputy Collector Ather Naveed has also been accussed in the reference filed by the NAB into the accountibility court for causing the exchequer a loss of billions by not properly doing his duties and letting the apparisers do the fraud with the national policies and customs bylaws. The inquiry clearly accussed the Deputy Collector and his team of doing illegal clearances which were bound to be confiscated.
On the one hand, the importers based in Peshawar are asking for the facilities despite using the Dry Port Peshawar for clearance of illegal consignments. They want relief and lower taxes in order to encourage the trade-friendly environment. Prevalence of corrupt practices greatly discourage the growth of trading. The Chairman FBR should take notice of the irregularities done in the past by clearing illegal consignments. The importers of Peshawar are also demanding a proper check system on the customs appraisers as they do favors during clearance of consignments.
