ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Customs Management Wing has forwarded a report to Member Customs Zahid Khokar regarding Appraiser Dost Mohammad’s corruption and its media coverage, recommending investigation into the matter.
Official sources told Customs Today that while considering the media coverage of corruption scandals of Appraiser Dost, the Customs Management Wing has forwarded the continues media coverage report regarding the corruption of Dost and recommended to investigate the issue.
Sources stated that internal inquiry may be recommended after the initial investigations.
Sources said that this report has no connection with Supreme Court of Pakistan’s order in which the apex court had demanded detailed report from the FBR and Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigation. And it is an internal report which has recommended investigations against corrupt Appraiser Dost, they added.
It is important to mention here that the 53-year-old corrupt Appraiser joined Customs Department in 1986 and was promoted to Appraiser in 2006. Dost has allegedly been involved in clearing consignments of coining oil, chemicals, scrap, pipe and papers through mis-declaration. He has also been named in violation of green channel and TP facility scams.
It is pertinent to mention here that Customs Today extensively covered the issue of misuse of green channel facility and involvement of corrupt principal appraiser Dost Muhammad, Incharge R&D, Appraisement East Collectorate. After so much coverage, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of green channel illegal clearance at ports and ordered the FBR high-ups to submit the report in 10 days.
Different chambers of commerce, associations and tax bars also raised the issue of green channel smuggling and compelled the FBR to take action against Dost Muhammad. Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Shiekh Amir Waheed has said that Dost and Co are the real enemy of the country because they are involved in causing huge loss in shape of revenue to national exchequer. He demanded serious action against such black sheep in the customs department.
While talking to Customs Today, ICCI President Amir further said, “Our country faces leakage in the revenue collection, but black sheep in the customs department are collecting parallel revenue by such bribe and clearance of contraband goods and unfortunately this parallel revenue are more higher that our revenue collected by the department.”
President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ghazanfer Bilour while talking with Customs Today said Customs Appraisement East R&D Section Principal Appraiser Dost Muhammad has crossed every limit to hamper efficiency of customs department by his widespread corruption through clearance of contraband goods and Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry will take up his mega green channel smuggling issue with the higher authorities of customs department.
Vice President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Syeda Masooma Sibtain and member of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Pakistan Customs should modify its clearance procedure under green channel facility to prevent its misuse in the country after revealing recent scams on Port Qasim. It is very unfortunate that a few customs officials are involved in unscrupulous activities at Port Qasim and they are allowing smugglers to throw their smuggled goods in the markets after getting clearance through green channel.
President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mufassir Atta Malik, has said that it is true that majority of importers are facing difficulties in clearance of their consignments due to unnecessary hurdles created by Principle appraiser Appraisement East Collectorate Dost Muhammad and his team.
Talking to Customs Today Malik said, “We know a number of his activities are illegal. We will call a meeting of all importers and we are going to take decision about this issue.”
Answering to a question, he said: “We are going to make a complaint to customs higher authorities about this corrupt appraiser.” He further said due to such corrupt officials a question has been marked on the reputation of customs department.
Senior Vice President, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Mohammad Nasir Mirza while talking to Customs Today said Appraiser Dost is aide-de-camp to smugglers, putting revenue and institutional image at risk so Pakistan can’t bear burden of such transgressor.
Nasir Mirza said Pakistan is facing revenue shortfall, while Dost and his network are playing in the hands of smugglers for his stomach, causing billions of rupees loss to the exchequer, and criminal silence of higher authorities of Customs department and FBR is suspicious. A timely and result-oriented action shall be taken to halt further loss to revenue and break the network of corrupt officials like Dost Muhammad.
Mirza added Principal Appraiser Dost can be named as kingpin of smugglers. Through misuse of green channel and TP facility, contraband goods and items are pouring into country. Blackmailing at such a sensitive place is real exploitation of importers and business community.
Advocate Zeenat Mian Kakakhel while talking to Customs Today at Peshawar said corrupt Principal Appraiser Dost Mohammad has become symbol of corruption in customs department through continuous violation of green channel and TP facility. Nowadays Dost Mohammad has become symbol of corruption. Customs department is notorious for corruption due to officials like Dost Mohammad. Stories of customs scandals are also common in media.