Live animals' export to Kabul: Prime Minister Secretariat 'fake' letter detected

An exporter of Peshawar has apparently availed benefit of a 'fake letter' of the Prime Minister Secretariat for exporting large number of live animals to Afghanistan by evading customs authorities on the basis of bogus instructions issued to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Ministry of Interior.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the PM Secretariat has informed FBR Chairman Salman Siddiqui about the unique kind of fraud committed by some unscrupulous elements, who drafted a fake letter of the PM Secretariat for export of live animals through Torkhum border to Afghanistan. The 'fake' letter has been issued fraudulently using the name of the PM Secretariat (Public) Prime Minister's Grievance Wing Islamabad. At that time, the concerned tax officials have clearly mentioned on the letter whether export policy is not the subject of the Ministry of Commence?
The details of this fraud show that the PM Secretariat had 'informed' the FBR to immediately withdraw a letter number GR-IISep-2011/205018 dated September 8, 2011, which was supposed to be written from the said Secretariat. The fake letter of the PM Secretariat was used to clear the export of live animals from Peshawar to Afghanistan.
The PM Secretariat has clarified to the FBR that the said letter is 'fake', and it has not been issued from PM Secretariat. The PM Secretariat is taking action to investigate the matter at its own level. The PM Secretariat has also requested the Ministry of Interior to take appropriate action against applicant/potential beneficiary of the fake letter under reference as per its procedure. This clarification on the fake letter has been issued with the approval of the Chief Co-ordinator of the PM Secretariat, the PM Secretariat added.
As soon as the fraud was detected by the PM Secretariat, the Ministry of Interior, as well as the FBR, started investigation about the status of the case and benefits obtained through the fake letter issued from the PM Secretariat.
The PM Secretariat immediately intimated to the FBR, and the Ministry of Interior, for appropriate action to check the fraud and benefit to the exporter. The PM Secretariat has also sent the copy of the fake letter to all concerned departments for reference purposes.
Sources said that the FBR, while taking precautionary measure, decided to direct the Model Customs Collectorates (MCCs) of Peshawar and Quetta to check any clearance of live animals on the basis of fake letter of the PM Secretariat. The FBR wanted to ensure strict compliance of the latest instructions issued by the PM Secretariat to check any kind of clearance of live animals on the basis of bogus letter of the PM Secretariat. The export policy is primarily issue of Ministry of Commerce, which is directly related to granting such permission of exports, etc. In both letters ie fake and genuine, the PM Secretariat has not issued the copies of these letters to the Commerce Ministry, sources added.
Following is the text of the fake letter of the PM Secretariat which has now be declared as 'bogus' by Mrs Shamim Shamshad, Section Officer (GR-II), of PM Secretariat:
Dated Islamabad September 8, 2011.
Prime Minister Secretariat (Public)
Prime Minister's Grievance Wing
Islamabad
Subject: Permission granted for export of 1000 cows & buffaloes via Torkham border of Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa.
Please find close herewith an application of an exporter of Zain Plaza, 1st Floor, Room Number 4, Dilazak Road, Near Perda Bagh, Peshawar City, for the permission granted for export of cows and buffaloes.
May please be permission granted for export of 1000 cows and buffaloes via Torkhum border of Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa under intimation to the applicant and this secretariat an earliest date.
Yours' Sincerely
Member-I (PMIC).
CC: Ministry of Interior
Chairman FBR
Secretary Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development Islamabad.