21 non custom paid luxury vehicles recovered from private farm near Islamabad

Published September 25, 2018
The cars are said to have been brought to Pakistan for the Qatari royal family's hunting trips — Photo: file
The cars are said to have been brought to Pakistan for the Qatari royal family's hunting trips — Photo: file

At least 21 non custom paid luxury vehicles — all belonging to the Qatari royal family — have been recovered from the parking lot of a dairy farm owned by Saifur Rehman, a former chairman of the now defunct Ehtasab Bureau, DawnNewsTV reported on Tuesday.

The farm is located in Rawat, a town near Islamabad.

The 21 vehicles were part of a batch of 50 cars imported by Qatari royals three years ago for hunting purposes. The remaining vehicles are suspected to be in the use of prominent personalities, customs sources told DawnNews.

The import duty applicable on all 50 cars had been waived for a period of three months by the PML-N government via a statutory regulatory order. However, the duty was never paid and the cars never returned to Qatar, a Customs Department source told DawnNewsTV.

The Qatar Embassy in Islamabad has confirmed the ownership of the cars.

According to the source, the Customs Department suspects that some of the vehicles had been in the use of the Sharif family.

At least one of the cars was recovered from Maryam Nawaz's son, Junaid Safdar, the source said. The driver of the vehicle, who was arrested when the car was seized, had provided the tip-off about the location of the other vehicles.

The manager of the dairy farm has asked for time to provide the legal paperwork for the cars.

Customs officers have given him three days. Failure to provide legal documentation will result in the registration of a criminal case, sources within the department said.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...