WB asks FBR to curb smuggling

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has instructed Pakistan to develop an anti-smuggling strategy based on modern and effective international guidelines. The bank further instructed the country to employ younger officers at the country’s borders to curb smuggling.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has also decided to document a list of smugglers, their accomplices and financiers in a database as part of their anti-smuggling strategy.

As part of a report prepared by the WB, the bank has recommended an intelligence analysis using international intelligence software, said sources in the FBR.

Sources also informed that the WB told the FBR that current officers in the customs department, who are responsible for the monitoring of smuggling, are between 40 and 45 years in age, which the bank deemed as too old. The WB has then suggested the employment of younger officers in the customs’ operations department who the bank believes will curb smuggling much more effectively. The WB also recommended the training of customs intelligence officers and employees.

A senior officer of the FBR informed that the tax collection body is putting together a list of major smugglers, their accomplices and financers in a databank. He added that the director general of customs intelligence and investigation will be given the authority to prepare a profile of traders and industrialists and to track their activities. These reforms and measures were being undertaken to curtail smuggling, to prevent financial scams and crimes and to stop misrepresentation of assets for tax purposes, he said adding that, these measures will increase the tax net and the tax to GDP ratio.

Published in The Express Tribune October 7^th, 2010.