PESHAWAR: The Customs Department has announced to set up a desk at Torkham for legalising the precious gemstones smuggled from Afghanistan into Pakistan through the border.

The decision was taken on the request of All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association so as to overcome the menace of smuggling and increase revenue for the country.

According to a statement, a delegation of APCEA led by its chairman Farhan Khan met customs collector Qurban Ali Khan and gave this suggestion. The APCEA leaders said that despite ban the gemstones from Afghanistan were smuggled and the consignments seized by political administration of Khyber Agency.

The exporters said that in case the consignments were taken by the administration into custody the smugglers usually managed to strike a deal with relevant officials. They suggested that if a desk was established at Torkham then the business would be legalised.

Meanwhile, customs officials said that the relevant staff of the department had seized two kilogrammes of gold and arrested one Imran, a resident of Ring Road area, Peshawar. According to the officials, the gold was packed in fruit packets, but it was recovered during scanning of the goods. They said that a case had been registered against him.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2016