Importers, exporters: QCCI demands withdrawal of ‘baseless’ cases

QUETTA: Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Balochistan President Fida Hussain Dashti and Senior Vice President Mohammad Ayub Mariani have said that baseless cases against persons associated with Balochistan’s export and import sectors should be withdrawn and Director Customs Intelligence should change his attitude or else they will expand their protest and will be forced to adopt other options including closure of highways.

They expressed these views while addressing an emergency press conference at Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.

He said that those involved in industry and trade of Balochistan have been conducting legal trade with neighbouring countries, Afghanistan and Iran, for decades.

They said that people are doing legal trade with the neighbouring countries for decades and they are also paying billions of rupees in taxes, but anti-trade policies of the director and staffs of Customs Intelligence are hampering legal exports and imports.

They said the Customs Act authorizes the Appropriation Appraisal Collectorate or DG Valuation to register cases, but the Director of Customs Intelligence has no such authority. Despite this, Customs Intelligence has registered cases worth Rs4 billion in Quetta and Rs 2 billion in Multan during the last one year which are baseless, they said.

They said according to an order of the Supreme Court, all imports from Iran were exempted from the import i-form, but the seizure of vehicles by Customs Intelligence falls under the category of contempt of court.

“Unless the illegal and baseless cases are withdrawn and the Director Customs Intelligence changes its attitude, our protest will continue. We have also contacted transporters and other stakeholders to extend the protest,” they said.

To a question, Fida Hussain Dashti said that the suspension of clearing of export and import of vehicles and other commercial activities has not only reduced the revenue of the country and the province but also led to shortage in the market of LPG and other commodities.

He said that for the last three days, the industrialists and traders of the province have been protesting against the misconduct and baseless cases of the Director Customs Intelligence but no seriousness is being shown in this regard which is regrettable.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021