Pak-Iran trade gets boost with Taftan customs station

Customs seizes smuggled goods worth Rs77m, including 21 vehicles

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has designated 11.75 acres of land at Taftan Railway Station as a Land Customs Station, a move aimed at facilitating trade between Pakistan and Iran.

The FBR issued a formal notification under the Customs Act, 1969, declaring the area a Land Customs Station, allowing the loading, unloading and clearance of import and export goods. The boundaries of the station have also been officially notified.

The development is expected to boost bilateral commerce by streamlining customs procedures at the Taftan crossing, a key border point for Pakistan-Iran trade.

In a separate anti-smuggling drive, Pakistan Customs' Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement), Hyderabad, seized non-custom-paid vehicles and smuggled goods worth over Rs77 million during the past week.

Enforcement teams took into custody 21 non-custom-paid vehicles worth approximately Rs61 million, including passenger and commercial vehicles. The individuals concerned failed to produce required customs documentation, leading to seizure under customs laws.

Customs teams also intercepted six consignments of smuggled general goods worth around Rs10.098 million, including electronic goods, banned Indian-origin gutka, industrial products and textile materials. Two consignments of petroleum products – 15,000 litres of high-speed diesel and smuggled petrol – worth approximately Rs5.867 million were also seized.

Legal proceedings have been initiated against all individuals involved, and investigations are underway to identify organised smuggling networks.

Pakistan Customs remains committed to strengthening intelligence-based anti-smuggling operations nationwide to protect national revenue and ensure the rule of law.

Separately, the FBR has abolished the weekly holiday for its field formations until June 30 to facilitate taxpayers and meet revenue targets. The Inland Revenue Wing has ordered all Large Taxpayers' Offices (LTOs), Medium Taxpayers' Offices (MTOs), Corporate Tax Offices (CTOs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) to observe special working hours from June 27 to June 30.

An earlier order dated June 19 has been withdrawn. All relevant offices will remain open during normal working hours on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28. On Monday, June 29, offices will remain open until 8pm, while on Tuesday, June 30, they will continue operations until midnight to ensure effective completion of revenue and tax collection at the close of the fiscal year.