Customs officials begin to seize 'luxury items' at airports

Move comes nearly a week after the PML-N-led government imposed a ban on the import of 'branded goods'

KARACHI:

Nearly a week after authorities imposed a ban on the import of 'luxury items', the Pakistan Customs has started seizing them from travellers arriving at the country's airports.

The items being seized include chocolates, used mobile phones, branded shoes and those related to sanitary ware.

According to passengers, they had brought the items for their families and children on a non-commercial basis but they had now been seized.

امپورٹڈ سامان پر ایس آر او کے باعث لوگوں کے ذاتی سامان حتیٰ کہ ہینڈ کیری میں سے بھی چاکلیٹس اور دیگر سامان نکالا جا رہا ہے۔ @MiftahIsmail اس جہالت کو فوری روکیں اور پابندی کا اطلاق صرف تجارتی کنسائنمنٹس تک محدود رکھیں pic.twitter.com/4dRGlLjLBI

— Shafaat Ali (@iamshafaatali) May 24, 2022

On the contrary, the Customs officials say they have started taking the action in light of the federal government's directives to curb the 'smuggling' of luxury items.

They added that the terminals dedicated to international travellers are being monitored on a 24/7 basis for the purpose.

They confirmed that the personnel had seized the said items from various passengers during the scanning of their luggage.

Our Customs force making sure the PMLN doesn’t win a single vote from Pakistanis who travel to and from abroad. pic.twitter.com/avjXOEuSn9

— Abdul Moiz Jaferii (@Jaferii) May 24, 2022

Also read: Ban on luxury items’ import to benefit country: PM

On May 19, the federal cabinet banned the import of around 41 items for two months to forestall a looming default to support the balance of payments position. The prohibition will not apply to the imports in rupees or through barter mechanism by land routes.

The prohibition may be reviewed after two months, the federal cabinet decided.

For the current fiscal year, the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had targeted to restrict the imports at $55 billion, which according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, have already shot up to $65.5 billion during the first 10 months.

The Ministry of Commerce has projected that the imports would now grow to $77 billion by the end of June. The projected $600 million saving would be around 5% of the annual bill.