Nato containers'' scam: FBR asked to prepare report assessing losses

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to prepare final report within one month, assessing losses incurred to national kitty due to alleged smuggling of over 50,000 containers, meant for supplying goods to US and Nato forces stationed in Afghanistan.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing a suo motu case, regarding smuggling in containers meant for carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan.
The court also directed FBR officials that the final report be prepared keeping in view all aspects of the case and be submitted to the court, so that the case will be decided on merit. FBR chairman Salman Siddique informed the court that recovery of about Rs 70 billion could be expected, as Afghan authorities were fully co-operating in the investigation of the scam.
He said all the electronic data about the scam had been collected. However, it needs to be examined. He said the investigation team was conducting impartial investigation into the scam and after which, legal action would be taken against those responsible for this large-scale smuggling.
To a court query, he said the Afghan government was also conducting investigation into the scam. The court also held that it would hear cases against each and every person involved in the scam on the basis of final report. The court also appreciated the interim report submitted by FBR, besides complementing performance of FBR chairman.
This is pertinent to mention that the top court of the country is currently hearing a case about the pilfering of container trucks and investigators probing the scam have claimed that over 50,000 containers were stolen with the collusion of FBR and National Logistics Cell (NLC) officials.
According to the probe report submitted to the court earlier, the FBR and NLC are required to keep accurate entry and exit records but they had not done so. It says that tax evasion on the goods in the pilfered containers would amount to ''trillion of rupees''. The report also alleged that a ''trans-national racket involving different governments'' was involved in the scam.