Customs officers and officials posted at
various international airports in Pakistan have been found involved in
corruption, smuggling, negligence, misuse of authority and financial
irregularities in the last three years. According to official records, a total
of 20 officers and officials were taken into custody, some of whom were
dismissed from service, some were forcibly retired, some were demoted and some
had their increments withheld.
The following are the details of the officers:
Inspector Customs Muhammad Abdullah posted at Lahore Airport was accused of
facilitating a passenger smuggling high-value electronics at Faisalabad
Airport. During the investigation, mobile data and other evidence proved that
he was helping external elements to avoid customs scanning. He was sentenced to
compulsory retirement after being found guilty of corruption, incompetence and
misconduct.
Inspector Faizan Ahmed of Islamabad Airport was found to be involved
in a scandal where genuine mobile phones seized from him were replaced with
fake ones. As a detention officer, he misused his powers, resulting in his
demotion to Grade 15.
Constables Rooh-ul-Amin and Muhammad Fayyaz Khan, posted at Islamabad International Airport,
were arrested on charges of facilitating smuggling. Investigations revealed
that both officials were helping to clear smuggled goods at Bacha Khan International
Airport. Both were dismissed from service.
Karachi Airport Principal Appraiser Fazal Karim was accused of negligence in preventing duty
and tax evasion in a consignment of M/S Siccotal Trading, which caused a loss
of Rs 9.7 million to the national exchequer. The department has withheld his
three-year increment.
Karachi Airport Senior Preventive Officer Syed Hassan Mehdi was also found involved in the same case. As an
appraiser, he could not discharge his duties honestly, for which his three-year
increment was also withheld.
Karachi Airport Inspector Ali Zaman was posted as an examiner. He was accused of
not properly checking the consignment, which enabled duty and tax evasion and caused
a loss to the national exchequer of M/S Siccotal Trading 9.7 million. The
department withheld his three-year increment.
Islamabad Airport Inspector Manzoor Hussain was found to be an accessory in the mobile
phone scam in which Faizan Ahmed was already involved. According to the
investigation, the mobile phones were in his custody for more than a month. His
one-year increment was withheld for this negligence.
Islamabad Airport Inspector Shakeel Ahmed was found guilty of negligence in a narcotics
case. He cleared a misdeclared consignment from which the ANF later recovered
narcotics. He was demoted three ranks.
Sialkot Airport Inspector Muhammad Chanzeb was found involved in a major mobile smuggling
case where 229 valuable mobile phones were recovered. An FIR was registered
against him and his one-year increment was also withheld.
Islamabad Airport Inspector Maqsood Ahmed signed and stamped airway bills and GDs without
verification, which led to the loading of illegal consignments. Initially, he
was removed from service, but later on appeal, the sentence was changed and the
three-year increments were stopped.
Lahore Airport Inspector Imran Elahi was found guilty of demanding a bribe from a
passenger. The department stopped his two-year increments.
Lahore Airport Inspector Zulfiqar Ali was found involved in a fraud case where he
fraudulently got a property attachment in favor of an accused, causing a loss
of Rs 24.82 million to the national exchequer. He was sentenced to censure.
Lahore Airport Constable Muhammad Naheed was found guilty of demanding a bribe for the
clearance of cigarette silos, for which he was also sentenced to censure.
Lahore Airport Constable Abdul Wahid was found guilty of facilitating the smuggling
of mobile phones and laptops. His six-month performance allowance was stopped.
Lahore Airport Assistant Director Muhammad Sadaqat was accused of playing a role in clearing a
jeep engine used by a non-bona fide passenger under baggage rules. However,
after investigation, he was acquitted of the charges.
Assistant Director Nazar Ali Khan also came under investigation in the same
case. He was accused of negligence in baggage clearance and failure to
supervise subordinate staff, but he was later acquitted of the charges.
Islamabad Airport Inspector Syed Muhammad Abbas Shah was accused of facilitating the clearance of
smuggled electronics. Despite the emergence of audio evidence, he was later
acquitted in departmental proceedings.
Islamabad Airport Inspector Muhammad Zulfiqar Khan is accused of not acting on timely intelligence
received about suspicious consignments coming through GPO Rawalpindi, which led
to the clearance of valuable goods through false declaration. His personal
hearing has been scheduled in this case.
Lahore Airport Superintendent Mirza Muhammad Imran was found guilty of facilitating smuggling by
passing off commercial goods as personal baggage. The department sentenced him
to one year in a lower rank and a lower pay scale.
These cases have exposed the weak oversight,
internal corruption and collusion of some officials with smuggling networks in
the customs system at major airports in Pakistan. The stringent action against
several officers is an indication that the department is now stepping up its
internal accountability process, but the question remains as to when the real
networks involved in smuggling and tax evasion worth billions of rupees will be
reached.
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