PESHAWAR: The police department has suggested registration of non-custom paid vehicles in Malakand division and tribal areas to stop use of such automobiles in criminal and militant activities.

Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani has informed ministry of interior, Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) and chief secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a letter about use of non-custom paid vehicles in militant activities.

Taking advantage of the easily available non-custom paid vehicles, miscreants have started using these vehicles which has caused serious threat to the law and order situation in the country in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular, says the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.

Since there is no mechanism for ascertaining and verifying the ownership of such vehicles, these are increasingly used by militants and criminals. It is very difficult for police to investigate and apprehend the miscreants and criminals, who use non-custom paid vehicles for their activities, the letter says.


Suggests registration of such vehicles in Malakand and Fata


It says that investigations into a number of terrorist activities in the province in general and Malakand division in particular have revealed that the vehicles being used by the miscreants are mostly un-registered and non-custom paid.

“I am writing today to draw your attention to a matter of grave importance warranting the government’s immediate attention. Despite the reported extension of Customs Act 1969 to Malakand division and Fata, the Act has not been enforced in these areas. Resultantly, these areas have become the safest and most lucrative destination for the non-custom paid vehicles which are being smuggled into Pakistan from Afghanistan,” Mr Durrani says in the letter.

It has also been observed that these non-custom paid vehicles do not remain confined to these areas and are in fact smuggled into the mainland, he adds.

The IGP says that since these non-custom paid vehicles are smuggled into Pakistan and are therefore, devoid of formal documentation including the bill of lading (BL) and proof of ownership, these are neither inspected by the customs authorities, nor registered by the excise offices concerned.

It is pertinent to mention here that both the customs and excise departments have their offices in Malakand division.

According to Mr Durrani, around 23,000 non-custom paid vehicles were brought to Malakand division excluding Malakand district in the year 2013.

To document non-custom paid vehicles in Malakand division and identify these in case of their involvement in any criminal activity or traffic violations, the provincial government had, in 2002, directed Malakand police to incorporate them in record of local police stations.

“Needless to say, police department has neither the expertise nor the capacity to formally register vehicles as the same comes under the mandate of excise department,” the IGP says.

Mr Durrani suggests that customs department should have some sort of mechanism in Malakand division and Fata to check whether non-custom paid vehicles have entered the country through prescribed procedure and take legal action against all such vehicles that do not possess proper proof of ownership by enforcement of Customs Act in these areas.

The IGP says that instead of police department, the provincial excise and taxation department should be tasked to undertake the registration of non-custom paid vehicles in Malakand division. Similarly, the political agents concerned should also evolve a mechanism for registration of non-custom paid vehicles in Fata, he suggests.

The provincial excise and taxation department and political agents must issue a registration number and registration book after verification of ownership of a vehicle, Mr Durrani says.

The details of all such vehicles should be shared with all law enforcement agencies and excise departments of other provinces so that these can’t be transferred to any un-authorised customer, he says.

The IGP says that the proposed formalisation of non-custom paid vehicles registration by the provincial excise and taxation department and political agents, apart from countering the threat to security of the province, will help to generate revenue for the government, discourage the illegal business of vehicle smuggling and the possibility of such vehicles being used for criminal and terrorist activities.

Mr Durrani says that federal government should be also approached for constituting a joint committee comprising of representatives of federal and provincial governments to examine the proposals and take appropriate measures.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014

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