ISLAMABAD: Additional Collector Muhammad Ashfaq has said that continuity of smuggling through motorway is a serious challenge for Islamabad Customs and SOP between Motorway Police (MP) and Customs Department should be revised.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today Additional Collector said Motorway Police (MP) had signed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) few months back which was not properly followed due to many reasons, including refusal of vehicles carrying smuggled items or having non Customs duty paid status by the motorway police.
“We don’t have any other way but to stop the suspicious vehicles before entering into jurisdiction of MP which we did but sometimes if some vehicle escaped and entered into the motorway territory we cannot stop it,” he said, adding that SOP between MP and MCC Islamabad must be revised as soon as possible so smuggling via motorway could be stopped with mutual efforts.
Answering to a query the additional collector said that Federal Board of Revenue has assigned 23% additional revenue collection target under head of all duty taxes against current financial year, whereas MCC Islamabad will succeed to chased revenue target of 2nd quarter.
Ashfaq said that after directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the MCC is conducting auction of 102 vehicles. He added that 53 vehicles were auctioned during first auction held at PM House while rest of 49 vehicles were surrendered to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for their sale through public auctions. He said that out of 49 vehicles, the MCC has sold 23 luxury vehicles on very reasonable price during October to December FY18-19, while rest of 26 vehicles are still parked at Islamabad dry port and will be auctioned during upcoming month.
He said that the Collectorate and ASO with assistance of local police have made a colossal crackdown against Indian and non-perishable smuggled goods those came under jurisdiction of Islamabad via different routes linking Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).
He said that if this smuggling activity will continue, it can make a huge loss for national exchequers as well as under advise of the Seed and Plant Protection Department, some of perishable Indian smuggled goods are health hazardous so whenever “we seize perishable consignment, we destroy them before reaching into the market”.
