Model Customs Collectorate (MCC), Islamabad on Wednesday destroyed huge quantity of foreign origin liquor, banned goods/medicines, smuggled cigarettes, pirated CDs and other banned items. On the occasion of the International Customs Day (ICD), MCC Islamabad has arranged a function at the Islamabad Dry Port.
The ceremony was chaired by Mohammad Riaz, Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigation and also attended by senior customs officials, liaison drug officials of different countries and senior officials of Inland Revenue Group. The MCC has destroyed around 3000 bottles of foreign liquor, 55 cartons of expired medicines seized in 11 different raids from air fright unit (AFU), IMO and airport, 584 packets of contraband medicines seized during 2 different operations and 12 drums of expired raw material of medicines seized in 2 different raids beside many other items. The customs intelligence has also contributed their seized share of goods such as 200 PCS of obscene CDs, and 738 packets of expired medicine.
Due to extraordinary efforts of the MCC Islamabad, the collectorate has confiscated huge quantity of contraband and smuggled goods. The audience witnessed the destruction of liquor and other contraband items at the Islamabad Dry Port. Addressing the gathering, Collector MCC Islamabad Sarwat Tahira Habib said that during the past one year, duty and tax collection remarkably improved at Dryport, AFU and Sust owing to MCC's consistent policy for trade facilitation and integrity management. During past six months from July 2010 to December 2010, the Collectorate has achieved 105 percent of net revenue target collecting Rs 1824.32 million as duty and taxes from imports, recoveries and anti-smuggling measures.
She also highlighted increased contribution of Customs duty in overall collection; role of Customs in international trade and efforts made by the department in effective enforcement of anti-smuggling strategy. The department has seized large quantities of a variety of goods being smuggled to down country such as cloth, tea, tires, electronics, toiletries, cosmetics and other goods. The Collectorate is striving hard to curb the menace of smuggling to protect local industries.
Under the guidance of FBR and Customs Intelligence, the Collectorate is in the process of developing a strategy to effectively control smuggling. This strategy brings all agencies concerned with border control and border trade at one forum. An effective force for this task will be developed; logistic resources and trainings will be made available; awareness campaigns will be launched, and no efforts will be left out to eradicate the menace of smuggling in any form.
The performance of the MCC Islamabad during July-December 2010-2011 was also shared during the functions. Customs officials of the MCC Islamabad informed the gathering that the net revenue targets achieved are 105 percent, despite slump in revenue from sust because of Hunza-Attabad lake, bad weather and blockage of the roads. The anti-smuggling performance of the MCC revealed that the Collectorate has seized 45 non-duty paid vehicles having value of Rs 93 million; 19 vehicles carrying smuggled goods, with a value of Rs 10 million. The Preventive staff of the Collectorate seized cloth of more than 56,000 yards valuing Rs 1.97 million, seized 369 tyres valuing Rs 39 lakhs, almost 2000 blankets and other goods such as electronic goods, cosmetics, toiletries, auto parts, shoe polish, pvc pipe, etc. The Preventive staff of the Collectorate seized almost 38 kgs of heroine in three different cases. Twenty seven officers of the MCC Islamabad attended different training events organised by Directorate General of training and research, UNODC and ANF.
Other speakers explained the overall significance of the international customs day. They said that the MCC Islamabad has seized record contraband and smuggled goods which reflects excellent performance of the Customs officials in the field formations.
As Customs duties' have been an important source of revenue for the Government, the Pakistan Customs has been playing an important role in the economic growth and development. It takes care not only of revenue but also of the trade economic and moral frontiers.
The Pakistan Customs administration has always kept pace with the global developments by modernising its administration and taking timely measures for trade facilitation liberalising tax regime and simplifying customs procedures. The Customs service is facing a daunting task of facilitating trade and enforcing customs laws, and this requires a high degree of sincerity and devotion to duty.
The Customs Department functions in a rapidly changing international trade environment; we are expected to deliver prompt and efficient service, to facilitate our import and export trade by improving performance and through partnerships at the same time ensuring compliance of laws, while what has been done so far is a cause of satisfaction. We need to continuously improve and upgrade our system and capabilities to contribute proactively to the growth and efficiency of Pakistan's international trade operations. The Federal Board of Revenue is committed to ensuring that we will continue providing services of the highest order.
The Customs department has, in recent years, taken a number of initiatives to reduce processing time and transaction costs. A vast majority of our operations are now on-line and these, among other things, enable both supervisory officers as well as trade to monitor the exact status of their documents, they added. Director General of Intelligence and Investigation Mohammad Riaz, also spoke on the occasion and explained the performance of the directorate during anti-smuggling activities. He also highlighted major cases of seizure by the directorate in recent past.
Lawyer Mian Nazir Azhar former Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigation also highlighted the importance of correct applicability of Customs Act, 1969, Customs Rules, and other Customs related rules/regulations for accurate assessment of goods at the import stage. The proper interpretation of tax laws and applicability of the customs valuation rulings keeping in view Pakistan Customs Tariff is necessary for accurate determination of duties and taxes on the imported consignments.
Later, chief guest distributed certificates among the Customs staff, who showed best performance in their duties and anti-smuggling operations at airport and dry port. Shakil Rana superintendent Customs, Qasiar Cheema superintendent Customs and Mohammad Naeem superintendent Customs, Sohail Quershi superintendent Customs and Raja Karamat superintendent customs Qazi Iyza inspector customs, Muhammad Farooq inspector Customs, Asif Nazir inspector Customs and Principal Appraisers and other customs officials.
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