August 13, 2002	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Saani 3, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: The government will consider a number of steps for reducing the flow of smuggled-prone items, that inflict loss to the local industries.

Official sources told Dawn that the decisions in this regard were expected to be taken in the “Special conference on anti-smuggling”, to be held on Tuesday. The conference was earlier scheduled for August 8.

The conference will be presided over by finance minister Shaukat Aziz. It will be attended among other by all the heads of federal ministries, inspectors generals of police and representatives of Frontier Constabulary; Frontier Corps, Balochistan and NWFP; Pakistan Coast Guards; Punjab and Sindh rangers.

According to the officials, tariff rationalization of the smuggled-prone items will also be discussed on the occasion.

The meeting will identify a number of items on which the duty may be slashed to an extent to discourage their flow into the country through porous boarders.

According to a report prepared by a private firm, 18 smuggled-prone items were causing about Rs264.04 million loss to the national exchequers annually.

The possibility of raids on Bara markets and godowns of smuggled items will be discussed in the conference. The proposed setting up of special task force and check posts to stop the flow of smuggled goods will also come under consideration.

The non-implementation of fiscal laws in the Federal Administrated Triable Areas (FATA), Provincial Administered Triable Areas (PATA), Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will also be discussed. Measures will be proposed for the implementation of fiscal laws in these areas to curb smuggling.

The conference is being organized on the directives of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to prepare a list of the smuggled- prone items that are adversely affecting the local productions.