KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Director General Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) has uncovered massive theft of petroleum products while being supplied to Isaf and Nato forces in Afghanistan.
According to official sources, the directorate has reported that several companies and contractors are transporting duty-free POL products to Afghanistan, but the supply is decanted before reaching the destination, which is causing huge revenue losses to the national exchequer. As per Customs laws, the pilferage of goods is tantamount to smuggling, the officials said.
The DG I&I has urged the Customs collectorates to provide reconciliation reports for verification of documentations. The directorate also asked the Defence Attaché, British High Commission, Islamabad and representatives of Defence Logistic Agency-Energy (DLA-E), US Embassy in Kabul to give details of the quantities ordered by them.
The supply contracts of Isaf, Nato and DLA-E and several oil marketing companies were also directed to provide the relevant details of POL exports to Afghanistan.
The officials said that the Customs authorities and bonded carriers provided incomplete information related to the POL products supplied to Afghanistan.
The contractors are responsible for safe transportation of goods up to the destination and in case of failure the carriers are responsible to pay the leviable duty and taxes.