LAHORE: One of the efficient and brightest woman officers of Pakistan Customs, Zeba Hai Azhar, reaffirmed her commitment to achieving overall target set for the financial year 2013-14 with strenuous efforts.
Former Collector MCC (Appraisement) Zeba Hai Azhar who is performing her duties as Director DGTR, Lahore, made these remarks during an exclusive interview with Customs Today at Mughalpura Dry Port.
It was solely due to Zeba Hai’s proactive approach that the MCC Appraisement witnessed overall 18 percent growth including collection of all taxes during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period last.
“We have recovered Rs250 million in the head of duty and tax remission on export reconciliation which gave impetus to revenue collection despite a huge decline in import volume,” Zeba Hai pointed out and expressed concern over the tangible decline in the import of oil in Lahore, saying that oil import had declined by 40 to 60 percent over the past six months.
She claimed that the MCC had been able to increase revenue collection from industrial units, automobiles’ imports and through strong measures against pilferage, adding that The MCC Lahore was focusing on recoveries by adopting strict measures like auctioning of the mortgaged properties.
“Better management played a vital role in enabling the collectorate to attain the much needed growth,” she explained, saying she was staunch believer in team work. Zeba termed herself to be fortunate enough to have an efficient team. “They constantly remain in touch to discuss revenue target collection and always go for slightest possible revenue through well-thought-out periodical strategies to meet the target,” Zeba revealed while appreciating her officers. She stressed that when subordinates are provided with a level playing field, the results are always certain to be positive.
To another question, she termed Member Customs Nisar Muhammad as a man of diverse qualities, saying that he was a well-versed officer having abundant ideas about how to increase revenue.
“Nisar Muhammad always guides junior officers about various issues pertaining to Customs by suggesting them various means to overcome problems,” she elaborated.
Zeba Hai argued that freight trains would revive Mughalpura Dry Port’s lost status.
“At least two freight trains a week should be unloaded at the dry port which will not only expedite import and export activities at the dry port by reducing per unit cost for the industrialists but will also earn huge revenue for the Railways as well,” she concluded.
