Ceremony to mark World Customs Day held

Officials say smuggling at any level would not be tolerated

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Collector Customs Zulfiqar Ali Chaudhry has said that Pakistan Customs was playing a vital role in collecting state revenues, stopping drug trafficking and promoting legal trade in the country.

The chief collector customs made these remarks during a ceremony held on the occasion World Customs Day in the provincial capital.

He said the department had collected revenues more than its target in the last seven months.

Chaudhry noted Pakistan Customs was taking every possible step to promote legal trade across the country.

He maintained work on a computerised system and WeBOC was in progress and that substantial measures had been taken to prevent smuggling in the country, especially in Balochistan.

“Abdul Qudoos Sheikh, our most capable officer was targeted by smugglers and he was martyred,” Chaudhry said while paying tribute to martyrs of customs.

“Smuggling is hollowing out the roots of our society. Customs keep a watch on smuggling in very precarious conditions,” he added.

He said despite facing hurdles Pakistan Customs would continue its efforts to promote legal trade for increasing revenues of the country.

He lauded the services of law enforcement agencies, including Frontier Crops, police and Levies in carrying out actions against smuggling in the province.

Collector Customs Preventive Iftikhar Ahmad and Collector Appraisement Raza also expressed their views on the occasion and noted that customs would not tolerate smuggling at any level.

"The target of Rs25 billion during the last fiscal year was achieved. In the first six months of the current financial year, a tax of Rs15 billion has been collected instead of Rs13 billion, which is 13% more," Raza said.

At the end of the programme certificates were distributed among best performing customs officials and import, export and clearing agents. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2020.