Duty evasion scam in Faisalabad

Published June 4, 2007

FAISALABAD, June 3: Customs intelligence officials have unearthed a scam of duty theft involving millions of rupees and registered a case against three customs officials, an importer and a clearing agent.

Dawn learnt on Sunday the customs intelligence team on a tip-off raided the customs office at the Faisalabad Dry Port Trust and seized 45 files. The officials were informed that scores of importers and clearing agents had hands in glove with the customs officials and engaged in duty tax theft. The accused tampered with figures of consignments and caused millions of rupees loss to the government exchequer.

The team seized records of last two years of importers and registered a case against Customs Superintendent Bashir Zafar, Examiner Iftikhar, Appraiser Masood Lodhi, importer Zarar Butt and Customs-Clearing Agent Javeed Iqbal.

Customs Deputy Director Muhammad Asif told Dawn investigation would be completed in a week and the accused would be booked on case-to-case bases.

ELECTROCUTED: Two people died of electric shock on Sunday.

Niamat Ali, 48, from Chak 248-RB was constructing a mosque roof in Rasool Pura when an iron rod in his hand touched live electric wires. Niamat died instantly while Rashid Ali, 12, who happened to be there also died, when the rod fell on him. Another Mushahid received injuries and was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries.

Four injured: Four people, including two women, sustained serious injuries in a roof collapse on Sunday at Islampura, Jaranwala.

Reports said Muhammad Younis, Nasreen Bibi, Nisar Ahmed and Majeedan Bibi were asleep at their house when its roof caved in.

The injured were admitted to hospital in a critical condition.

Editorial

A hasty retreat
28 Nov, 2024

A hasty retreat

POLITICAL immaturity has cost the PTI dearly once again. It appears things may not have come to this had Bushra ...
Lebanon truce
28 Nov, 2024

Lebanon truce

WILL it hold? That is the question many in the Middle East and beyond will be asking after a 60-day ceasefire ...
MDR anomaly removed
28 Nov, 2024

MDR anomaly removed

THE State Bank’s decision to remove its minimum deposit rate requirement for conventional banks on deposits from...
Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...