KARACHI: The Supreme Court was informed on Friday that legislative proposals were being initiated to curb movement of black money through money changers’ companies.

Attorney General Munir A. Malik filed a report before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court in the implementation proceedings of the Karachi sou motu judgment case stating that the legislation would be made to pass on information to the Federal Board of Revenue about remittance of foreign currency in excess of US$10,000 per transaction in one month either made through regular banking channel or through money changers’ channel.

He stated that the federal government had launched the Pakistan Remittance Initiative under which the service charges of the bank on remittance were paid by the government.

In order to encourage remittances through regular channel, it is being proposed to the ministry of finance that this scheme may also be extended to registered money changers.

The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had directed the AGP to hold a meeting of all authorities concerned to chalk out a strategy to beat the menaces of black money, illegal weapons and drugs which were stated to be main factors behind the law and order situation in Karachi.

On Friday, the bench directed the interior secretary and other federal and provincial authorities to provide assistance to the Federal Board of Revenue and Anti-Narcotics Force in implementation of their plans to prevent movement of black money and smuggling of weapons and drugs in the city.

The AGP’s report also contained plans devised by FBR and ANF to block smuggling of illegal arms and drugs in Karachi. He told the court that highly sensitive scanners would be bought and installed at the Karachi ports to scan all containers.

He told the court that all Afghan Transit Trade containers would be thoroughly scanned, and customs officials have been posted at Karachi Port to examine containers. He said the FBR had issued further instructions to strengthen the examination process and all arms and ammunition were being screened and physically examined by assistant collectors.

The bench rejected the report of the Customs regarding import of arms and ammunition for last three years and directed officials to submit a comprehensive report before the next hearing.

The court directed deputy commissioners of the five districts of Karachi to cooperate with the Customs officials and after completing the exercise, details be given to the provincial police chief and the director general of Rangers so that they could undertake physical exercise to check door-to-door use of arms and ammunition.

The Chief Justice observed that Customs officials had not shown seriousness to ascertain content of the containers brought to Pakistan under the cover of Afghan Transit Trade. He said that Pakistan was a sovereign state and all law-enforcement agencies, including Customs, had to ensure that no import of goods was made contrary to the law.

The bench directed Customs authorities to look into the matter of a container seized by the Taxila police for having liquor and see who was responsible for clearing the container from the port.

The bench in its order said the court’s judgment had observed that violence in Karachi, during the current year and in the past, was not on ethnic grounds alone but was also a turf war between different groups having economic, socio-politico interest.

The bench noted that after initiatives taken by the provincial and federal governments for peace, serious efforts were being made by police and Rangers to establish the rule of law in Karachi.

It said: “Anyhow, it could be too early to express complete satisfaction that law-enforcing agencies have achieved maximum results to ensure enforcement of Articles 9, 14, 25 etc. of the Constitution, but initiatives taken by the Police and Rangers through their respective Commandants operating in the field demonstrate their spirit and resolve that culprits are not above the law, they deserve the appreciation by the Court and if they violates the good order which is required to be maintained in the society, they will be dealt with strongly according to law.”

However, the bench observed, no matter whether anyone was satisfied with their performance or not, the law requires them to protect lives and property of citizens.

The bench was of the opinion that extraordinary efforts were required to be made by all law-enforcement agencies to restore the writ of the government without extending any concession or relaxation to culprits who created not only law and order situation but at the same time were responsible for disturbing economic lives of the people.

The bench noted that the provincial government, in pursuance of the court’s directives, had taken steps to collect illicit arms under the relevant law as well as to computerise names and data of the licence holders who were in possession of arms ammunition.

“But it seems that culprits are not cooperating who are not committing the crimes individually but they have ganged up to indulge in nefarious activities”.

The bench was of the view that there was a massive evasion of taxes and goods were being imported by evading the duty. This money was being used for indulging in unlawful activities.

“It is the duty of Customs Authorities, Police, Rangers, Pakistan Coast Guards and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency posted at the Port Qasim, the Karachi Port or on other spots which lead the way to Karachi to curb this menace,” the bench remarked.

The bench observed that Customs authorities had failed to furnish satisfactory explanation about the smuggling of weapons and drugs into the city.

The court referred to the reports of Federal Tax Ombudsman regarding the missing 19,000 containers and observed that no serious efforts were made by FBR to curb smuggling.

The judges were of the opinion that unless Karachi was cleansed of illicit arms and ammunition, it would be difficult to maintain the law and order.

Referring to a one-man commission report on arms smuggling, the bench said that a case study in the report established beyond any doubt that authorisations for import of arms and ammunition were being issued by the Ministry of Commerce as a political bribe even to arms dealers in far-flung areas who only earn windfall premiums by selling the total imported quantity to arms dealers in big cities.

The director general of transit trade stated that no arms and ammunition was brought in the allegedly missing containers.

The bench observed that the Customs authorities had not shown any seriousness to ascertain contents of goods which were brought into Pakistan in the name of the Afghan Trade etc.

Attorney General Munir A. Malik filed a report.

The bench observed in order: “After holding the hearing of the case and in view of the submissions of the parties, we are confident that it should be top-most priority of all the law-enforcing agencies to make all out possible efforts with a single most important agenda to ensure rule of law and restoration of the writ of the Government in Karachi. The measures which are required to be adopted, as discussed herein above in detail, are directed to be taken especially after the report filed by the one-Man Commission Muhammad Ramzan Bhatti, former Member of Customs. The Secretary of Interior, Secretary Revenue/Chairman, FBR, the Secretary Finance and the Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh shall provide all possible efforts/support to all the law-enforcing agencies in order to show the results as per the commitments of both the Provincial and Federal Governments.”

The hearing was adjourned for Nov 11 at Islamabad.