April 11, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

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PESHAWAR, April 10: Traders in the Bajaur Agency have claimed that Customs authorities have wrongfully seized timber at their Shabqadar station.

A tribal trader, Abdul Subhan Khan, said the political administration and divisional forest officer of the agency had allowed transportation of 91,000 cubic feet of wood from Hasham Charmang in Bajaur Agency to the settled districts of the country. He said that despite approval from the administration, the deputy superintendent (customs) of the Shabqadar station had seized two trucks loaded with Deodar on April 3.

He said the authorities in the tribal areas had declared that the timber lying at Hasham Charmang was a local product and it could be transported to any part of the country after payment of local taxes.

He said the Civil Secretariat Fata had conducted an inquiry into the affair. The administration had imposed a fine of Rs100 per cubic feet on Deodar and Rs60 per cubic feet on Kail.

Mr Subhan said he had paid all duties and taxes and he was authorised to transport timber. He said that 30 trucks loaded with timber was parked in the tribal area.