Major Customs gang busted, 25 officers arrested

By Ikram Hoti

An international smuggling syndicate was busted by the Customs Intelligence on Monday and over 25 Customs officials, besides members of the gang, had been arrested, officials said.

As many as 13 officials are under the police custody, 21 Customs officials have been booked in Karachi (now allowed back on their jobs after a week-long suspension), 12 arrested in Peshawar and two in Lahore.

They had ganged up to evade duties and taxes of over Rs 230 billion in the past two years but those arrested were now exerting pressure to get the top Customs Intelligence officials removed from their posts and get the cases withdrawn.

At the Customs House, Karachi, as sources privy to the entire episode revealed, the suspected gang members were not just those booked but higher officials, too, who supervised clearance of the ISAF and Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) goods on fake papers (the containers never crossed Pak-Afghan border).

“These are influential officials and the gang they operate is well entrenched in the state machinery. They are not just making efforts to get the Customs Intelligence officials at the top and middle levels removed but have also launched a campaign through the FIA and other channels to get the Directorate General Customs Intelligence (DGCI) offices in Lahore vacated by exerting pressure on the owners of the buildings.”

In order to obtain the FBR version, this correspondent called its spokesman Israr Rauf repeatedly on Monday evening, but there was no response. The following SMS message was sent on his cell number (0300-8444212): “Why were Customs men booked in Karachi let off the hook? They were suspected of abetting the ISAF-container smuggling.”

DGCI, Lutfullah Virk, flatly refused to say anything. “Please, do not make calls to me again”, he said. Sources in Karachi and Peshawar, however, pointed out that the international syndicate of smugglers that operated in connivance with the Customs officials was actually busted when three tribal boys were caught from Torkham on the Pak-Afghan border about a month ago on suspicion of stealing the Customs computer user ID that helped access to the documentation operation of the ISAF and Transit Trade shipments from overseas to Afghanistan through Pakistan.

These three boys were the sons of tribesmen killed in a Customs-smuggler shootout about four years ago and were given Customs jobs under a government-jirga agreement as compensation.

They were working as helping staff and were frequent to the Customs offices at the border check-post where the computation of ISAF-ATT shipment-clearance documentation was routinely conducted.

As these boys sang to the investigators and coughed up the names of the technical staff that gave them out the user IDs, more arrests were made, as confirmed by Directorate General Customs Intelligence (DGCI), Islamabad.

Simultaneously, the DGCI was frustrated by the Karachi Customs as it was refused the relevant files helping its investigation on how more than 10,000 imported containers slipped off the records, mostly carrying banned items like liquor, auto-parts and other heavy-duty goods.

These were (40-ft) containers, which imported ISAF shipments from Western destinations, the UAE and Monaco ports.

The ISAF-declared consignments started disappearing about two years ago, and the sources said that the efforts to abort the investigation were also going on as they were approaching FBR high officials to ensure that the entire exercise of detecting the missing containers and export of banned items was suspended so that the big and the small fish in this racket might not be touched.

The DGCI took up with higher authorities the issue of refusal by the Karachi Customs to provide records on these containers and also shared its conclusions of the investigation conducted into the missing containers so far. This activity coincided with three other important events:

a) The tribal boys revealed that most of the missing containers were ISAF-declared in Karachi, then Afghan Transit Trade shipments in Nowshera (on fake documents). These containers were shown having been transported outside Pakistan, while they were seal-opened, offloaded and the goods were sold out in the Pakistani markets.

b) An internal audit was conducted by the Peshawar Customs, which revealed that there existed a syndicate of smugglers that had penetrated into the department’s sensitive shipment-handling (duties-taxes collecting) data-monitoring-computing offices in Karachi, Peshawar, Nowshera and Torkhum, to ensure that the forged ISAF-shipment plus ATT-shipment papers of goods declaration were accepted as legal.

c) A committee of investigators was formed by the FBR.

It is pertinent to mention that the names of officials that allowed them to use their ID, have not been listed properly by the relevant authorities. They included the deputy collector level Customs officials, superintendents and more than 10 inspectors. They form part of the smuggling syndicate but investigations are yet to be completed about them.

The story does not end here. DGCI officials recorded after cross checking of the export documents over the past couple of years that 70 containers out of 10,000 were confirmed to have been cleared on fake ISAF-ATT papers. Others too were allowed clearance by succumbing to the same trick applied by the international smugglers’ syndicate, which had penetrated into the fabric of Pakistan Customs.

The officials cleared more than 70 containers — 36 confirmed with fake papers — carrying poppy-seed (khashkhash) for export to European destinations. There was no news if these shipments were intercepted on the high seas or at the ports of delivery (most of them are believed to have touched the shores of Turkey), as the exporters’ (a bogus Karachi company) records reveal.

A manager of the company has been arrested and several others booked, while the relevant Karachi Customs staffs were suspended. They went on strike and the FBR capitulated allowing them back on their jobs with a warning when the investigation was completed and indicated their involvement, they would be arrested and charged for allowing export of a dangerous banned item under the declaration papers of rice and pulses. (The News)

Karachi Transporters refuse to cut down fare

Despite a fall in the prices of petroleum products, the transporters have refused to lower fare vexing citizens all over the country, SAMAA reported Thursday.

Transporters in Karachi said that the fuel prices are not so low that the fare can be decreased. They said that the fuel prices have to come down by Rs 13 in order for them to lower fare.

For July, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority had decreased the price of petrol by Rs 1.9 and of diesel by Rs 4.14.

The price cuts were announced by OGRA spokesperson Jawad Naseem in a news conference in Islamabad.

The price of petrol stands at Rs 66.95 after a decline of Rs 1.9, and that of diesel is now Rs 71.58 after a decline of Rs 4.14.

The price of kerosene is slashed by Rs 0.11 only. The price of light diesel is now Rs 61.68 after a decline of Rs 0.95.

Karachi Press Club's Summer Sports Festival set to kickoff

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

All is set for the KPC Summer Sports Festival 2010 to kickoff at the Karachi Press Club on June 30 with Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Sports & Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, to inaugurate it in a colorful ceremony.

The festival is being organized by the Sports Committee, with the collaboration of the Indoor Games Committee, at the Karachi Press Club from June 30 to July 24.

As many as five games, snooker, chess, scrabble, badminton and table tennis, will be contested during the festival being supported by the sports department of the Government of Sindh.

The festival, offering cash awards to top performers, will commence with the snooker tournament from June 30 to July 3 to be followed by chess and scrabble (July 5 to 10), badminton (July 12 to 17) and table tennis (July 19 to 24). It will be open to the members of the KPC only and the entries will be closing two days before the start of every tournament.

The Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) has volunteered to offer technical assistance for the chess and scrabble tournaments while the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) and the Karachi Table Tennis Association (KTTA) will be providing technical support to the competitions of snooker and table tennis respectively.

The involvement of the respective professional bodies in conducting the various events will add value to the festival besides allowing the Sports Committee to concentrate on administrative matters.

The Karachi Press Club has actually revived the tradition of holding sports tournaments for its members. The senior members of the club like S M Fazal and A Majid Khan have often been heard recalling those sports events of the yesteryears in which the members of the club used to participate very enthusiastically.

Talking about enthusiasm there is greater response already than was being anticipated from the members and the number of entries in the snooker tournament went into double digits within an hour of the announcement appearing on the club’s notice board.

The KPC President, Imtiaz Khan Faran, is thrilled by the response and the build-up for the upcoming event and he didn’t mince words in stating that the club is actually meant for such activities that could provide recreation to the members and their families.

“Yes the club should be a place where the members and their families could come over for spending time nicely. We have been trying to develop more facilities in order to serve the purpose,” he added.

Imtiaz Faran feels that the club should be having a swimming pool besides facilities for other indoor games.

The KPC Secretary, A H Khanzada, is also ecstatic with the buzz around the club created by the sports festival.

“We have provided an opportunity to our members to demonstrate their sporting prowess. By the look of things the word has already spread and there is a talk about it among the members that’s very heartening indeed,” he observed.

REVENUE DEPARTMENT GETS DIRECTIVE FOR ACTION AGAINST LAND GRABBERS

Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman has directed Revenue Department to take immediate action for implementation of recently promulgated Pubic Property (Removal of Encroachments) Ordinance 2010. He has instructed EDO Revenue to prepare all required infrastructure including establishment of offices and coordination among concerned departments so that effective action could be taken against the land grabbers.

City District Government Karachi has finalized all initial work to initiate action under the Public Property Ordinance 2010. The Revenue Department was also establishing a police station and anti encroachments force to arrest and lodge the FIR against the land grabbers. Under the ordinance any person found responsible of occupying government land would have to face 10 year imprisonment with fine equal to the value of occupied land while the government official helping the encroacher would have to face 5 year imprisonment.

Meanwhile Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday imposed immediate ban on the sale and use of over ripen, rotten fruits, sugar cane juice, all kinds of gola dundas, ice lollys and other syrups on the roads and footpaths within the jurisdiction of City District Government Karachi. The action has been taken to save the health and lives of citizens.

Sindh Govt launches Taxation Training Programme for yougsters

Sindh Youth Minister, Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, inaugurated Taxation Training Programme being held as part of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP), here at the ICAP the other day.

The five-month Taxation Training Programme is being organized by the Sports & Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh with the collaboration of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).

It’s the second programme in a series of three designed and developed by the department. Earlier they had launched the Insurance Training Programme last month while the third and final related to the field of banking will be getting underway in near future.

“Our department has arranged three programmes under the BBSYDP for the career development of the youngsters of the province. Two of them have already been inaugurated and the third one will be starting soon,” the Sindh Youth Minister remarked.

“The kind of taxation training you will be provided at this institution (ICAP) will help you in improving your skills greatly and you will be able to get a head start to the profession,” Faisal Sabzwari observed while addressing the participants.

“You are really fortunate to be able to receive training at such reputed institutions. In our time there was no such facility provided by the government to train us. Therefore you should avail this opportunity and make the most of it by taking your lessons seriously which will open a lot of career opportunities for you,” he added.

“Everyone talks of the youth being an asset. Our department takes the responsibility of grooming the youngsters and safeguarding their future. Not all the talented youngsters could move to Canada for greener pasture. We have to invest on our youth and provide them the desired infrastructure here to let them polish their skills and contribute to the betterment of the society,” the Minister said.

Faisal Sabzwari, himself an Alumni of ICAP, spoke highly of his Alma Mater and did not mince words in stating that the education and training he received at the institution went a long way in boosting his career.

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Sports & Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, informed the 20 participants, selected from all over the province, that the certificate they would be receiving upon the completion of the course will help them immensely in their career in the taxation industry.

“Under the able guidance of Youth Minister, our department has taken the initiative of joining hands with the leading institutions and organizations like the ICAP, the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan (IBP) and the Pakistan Insurance Institute (PII) to provide training to the youngsters in the field of insurance, taxation and banking as part of the BBSYDP,” he added.

Shoaib Siddiqui urged the youngsters to work hard and avail the opportunity of getting training at the reputed and renowned institutions like the ICAP.

The Sports & Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh will be providing stipend to all the participants with the outstation trainees to get additional allowance for their boarding and lodging during the five-month period.

Mr Abdul Rahim Suriya, President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan and Mr Pervez Muslim also spoke to the participants. Deputy Project Director BBSYDP Mr Saleem Ahmed Siddiqui and council members of ICAP were also present on the occasion.

Sindh Sports & Youth Affairs Department launches 5-month Cricket Coaches course

An extensive five month Cricket Coaches course to train and prepare the coaches from interior Sindh and Karachi was inaugurated at PCB Regional Academy Auditorium here on Monday.

Sindh Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui inaugurated the course which is being attended by 20 participants including four women. Sindh Sports and Youth Affairs Department is conducting the programme under Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Youth Development programme in collaboration with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). PCB Head Youth Development Haroon Rasheed with expert Ali Zia and Shahid Aslam of National Cricket Academy are jointly conducting the course.

Sinister shakedown

‘Not even two police mobiles can protect you from our wrath’ was the threat given to shopkeepers who had protested against extortion at Nursery furniture market day earlier.

Fed up with forking over money each month, a group of angry shopkeepers blocked Shahrah-i-Faisal near Nursery on Wednesday to protest the alleged harassment and extortion by men they described as Sunni Tehreek (ST) activists. The shopkeepers burnt tyres, suspending traffic for around 45 minutes till the police and rangers officials promised them that they would act against the culprits. Barely 24 hours later, the businessmen at E-market in union council No 6 Mehmoodabad, alleged that the men they nominated in FIRs on Wednesday have threatened them with ‘serious consequences’.

For its part, however, the Sunni Tehreek has denied all allegations that the ‘extortionists’ are affiliated with their party. “The central leadership of the party talked to the president and general secretary of the association of shopkeepers and assured them that no party worker was involved in this crime,” said Shahid Ghauri, central leader of the ST, while talking to The Express Tribune on Thursday. “After they identified the culprits, we said the shopkeepers could take whatever action they want against the criminals, none of them belonged to our party.”

According to Ghauri, his party only collects “donations” in the months of Ramazan and Rabiul Awal. “We request all the shopkeepers to inform the central leadership of the ST in case someone collects money from them in the name of the party,” he said. Wednesday’s protest ended only after the Ferozabad police registered an FIR under sections 384/85/86/34 against Rehan Qadri, Faisal Qadri, Qadri Baba and eight unidentified men. “I received a call in the morning from Qadri baba, threatening me that the police cannot protect us,” alleged Irshad Ahmad, who is the chairman of the E-market Shopkeepers Association.

According to Ahmad, the activists has been extracting money from them for the last one year and despite their complaints, the authorities have done nothing to stop them. For his part, however, Ferozabad SHO Azam Baloch told The Express Tribune that this was the first time they had received such a complaint. He confirmed that the suspects were affiliated with the ST. “We have been conducting raids to arrest them since morning,” he said, before he left for another one.

The association’s Irshad Ahmed said that the shopkeepers had been giving monthly ‘bhatta’ to alleged ST workers out of fear but when the “gangsters” misbehaved with some elders on a routine collection trip this Wednesday, the shopkeepers lost their cool. “We could not fight them at that time since they had weapons,” said Muhammad Qasim, a furniture shop owner. “So we decided to protest.” The ‘extortionists’ have a complete list of shops and shopkeepers of union council No 6, Mehmoodabad, and every shopkeeper is charged according to his income. The money is collected allegedly in the name of Ahle Sunnat Khidmat Trust, ST Mehmoodabad.

The collectors issue receipts to paying shopkeepers. Each receipt is numbered and is issued in the name of an individual. The collector signs the receipt before collecting the money and also writes the amount of money received. A note at the end of the receipt says, “you allow that your money can be used in any good work”. E-market consists of more than 350 shops and the amount of extortion money collected from each shop ranges between Rs 50 to Rs10,000. About the receipts distributed among the shopkeepers as proof that the money was going to the ST coffers, the ST leader said party leaders would investigate the matter.

“We will try to find out how the receipts reached the criminals and we will take action after the investigation,” said ST central leader Shahid Ghauri. Nonetheless, the shopkeepers said they have finally decided to take a stand. “We are going to face them whatever happens,” said Jibran, a shopkeeper. “We cannot bear them any more.” According to the E-market association’s leaders, police officials have assured them of help and security. Shopkeepers from G-market were however, not feeling as secure. “Better pay them money instead of risking our lives,” said one shopkeeper on condition of anonymity. He has been paying Rs5,000 per month in extortion money.

According to him, the police would not arrest the culprits even if they were identified. He feels that the police and the extortionists have some sort of “understanding”.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 14th, 2010.

ADMINISTRATOR KARACHI INSPECT CLEANING OF DRAINS IN LYARI

Karachi May 10: Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman has said that storm water drainage could not be made possible without full and thoroughly cleaning of every major drain of the city. De-silting of 7 big drains must be done speedily so that this could complete before upcoming rains.

He expressed these views during a visit of Lyari Town where he inspected cleaning work Kalri, Pitcher and Soldier Bazar Nullah.

EDO Municipal Services Masood Alam, members of technical committee Khuda Bux, Ibrahim Baloch, Rasheed Jamal and other officers accompanied Administrator Karachi on this visit.

Administrator Karachi on this occasion checked the condition of these drains at different points and directed municipal services department to further expedite work of their cleaning.

He said though City Government was doing cleaning and de-silting work of all major and small drains of city in coordination with town administration, however it would be most important to clear all 7 major drains that carries sewage from all over the city and falls into sea.

He said that their cleaning must start from seaside along with the removal of encroachments.

Administrator Karachi further said that all possible resources including machinery and man power would be provided for cleaning of all major drains of city.

Administrator Karachi during his visit also went to Machchar Colony where he inspected in detail cleaning work of storm and sewage water drain.

He directed concerned officials to contact with the Water & Sewerage Board so that the water supply problem in the area could be solved.

He said that storm water drainage would not be possible without full cleaning and de-silting of all major and subsidiary drains. That is why; he said City Government has initiated work of cleaning of drains in coordination with town administration to complete this work before upcoming rains.

Meanwhile Administrator Karachi also met with the citizens during the Khuli Kacheri held in the Committee Room of Civic Center. On this occasion he directed all EDOs to ensure prompt implementation of orders issued on the complaints of people in Khuli Kacheri. He also directed all officers to solve public problems on priority basis.

KARACHI INSTITUTE OF HEART DISEASES GETS RS.5 MILLION

Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman has given approval of release of Rs5million to Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases. The amount will be spent on the maintenance of Operation Theatre and Angiography Machine besides other essential supplies including emergency injections. During a surprise visit to KIHD on Tuesday he directed EDO Finance & Planning to release this amount to institute on immediate basis.

Administrator Karachi went to the CCU and OPD where he met with the patients and enquire about their health. Deputy Project Director Dr. Siraj on this occasion informed him about the problems facing by the hospital.

Administrator Karachi also constituted a committee headed by Director KIHD Dr. Abdus Samad to give its suggestions regarding various matters including procurement of medicines. Other members of the committee include Deputy PD KIHD Dr. Siraj as Secretaryi and EDO F&P Naila Wajid Khan, EDO MS Masood Alam, EDO Health Dr. Shahab Imam and D.O Procurement Dr. Muhammed Aslam as members.

Administrator Karachi said that more resources will be provided to KIHD during next fiscal year. He said that timely disbursement of salaries to employees of the hospital will also be made possible.

During the visit of under construction Nazeer Hussain Shaheed Hospital near NIPA Chowrangi Administrator Karachi formed a committee comprising EDO Works and Services, EDO Law, EDO Health and DO IFQC that would submit its report and suggestions on the start of work on this project within 10 days.

Administrator Karachi said that all possible measures will be taken for timely completion of every project initiated by former city nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal.

He said that the construction of this hospital had been delayed due to the legal proceedings and now the matter must resolve so that

This public welfare project could complete as soon as possible.

He also directed EDO Works and Services to negotiate with the contractor and solve the matter in least possible time.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs to Pakhtuns: Shahi Sayed

Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh President Shahi Sayed yesterday alleged that some elements were exploiting the people of Hazara Division with backdoor financial help.
Addressing a public gathering at Sea view Karachi, he said that everybody had the right to do politics in Karachi. The mutual respect, education, humanity and non-violence could ensure the country's progress, he said.
Syed said that ANP was ready to cooperate with all bodies for the cause of city and country.
He said Sindh belongs to Sindhis, Balochistan to Baloch, Punjab to Punjabis and Khyber Pakhtunkuwa to Pakhtuns.
A number of artists were invited from Peshawar and Quetta to enthrall the audience gathered to celebrate renaming of NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkwa, he added. (NC Report)