113 vehicles' entry from Afghanistan sans GDs: Finance Division working to assess revenue loss

ISLAMABAD: The Finance Division has been working to assess the revenue loss the country has suffered after more than 113 vehicles crossed into Pakistan from Afghanistan without goods declarations and deposit of leviable duty/taxes at the Torkham border.

An official said that, according to a working paper, in addition, 941 pickups mostly carrying fresh fruits/vegetables, which have also been found to enter Pakistan, and director Intelligence and Investigation (Custom) Peshawar has been directed to initiate criminal proceedings in these cases.

The revenue loss is also being worked out by director Intelligence and Investigation (Customs), Peshawar, in these cases.

A joint investigation team (JIT) constituted by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to investigate embezzlement scam at Torkham, submitted its report with main findings that as many as 113 vehicles were identified, which crossed into Pakistan from Afghanistan, wherein neither goods declarations nor record for deposit of leviable duty/taxes was found.

Criminal cases/FIRs were lodged to apprehend and prosecute the culprits. The goods declarations against rest of the 328 out of 441 vehicles/consignments are available in the Customs Clearance System WeB0C.

However, there are some minor discrepancies such as manual overwriting, cuttings manipulation of number plates etc, which requires an audit, therefore, post-clearance audit (PCA), Islamabad, has been directed to conduct an audit of these vehicles and ascertain whether duties and taxes were correctly levied.

There are 13 vehicles/consignments against which certificates of origin have been found fake and legal action has already been taken by the MCC (appraisement and facilitation), Peshawar.

All the five seizure cases detected by the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) have also been duly adjudicated and decided in the favour of the seizing agency.

The Adjudicating Authority has confiscated seized goods/vehicles in all five cases, the finding of the investigation added.

According to officials, administrative and procedural measures has been made at Torkham to ensure proper record keeping of all import/export vehicles and collection of leviable duty/taxes and that no such occurrence happens from Afghanistan in the future.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020