Currency confiscated from Kuwaiti diplomat

E-Paper | May 07, 2026

RAWALPINDI: Customs authorities seized $46,500 from an attaché of the Kuwaiti embassy at the Islamabad International Airport on Wednesday.

The customs staff spotted large amount of dollars during clearance of passengers travelling on Kuwait Airways flight and asked the diplomat to produce official permission document from the State Bank to carry the amount. The customs authorities said the official produced a certificate of his embassy as well as his salary certificate, but no official permission from the State Bank of Pakistan.

The currency was then confiscated from the diplomat, however, no FIR was registered against him keeping in view his diplomatic status. The case was referred to the relevant authorities. A senior customs official said the diplomat was allowed to go.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2018

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Nov 29, 2018 09:48am

That amount is peanuts for a Kuwaiti diplomatic.

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Ghouse

Nov 29, 2018 10:08am

And The Custom Official and His Lakeys get to keep the money?

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Random Indian

Nov 29, 2018 10:16am

Good, money will come in handy to plug falling reserves.

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Ali

Nov 29, 2018 10:25am

If No FIR than deposit this money into Bhasha damp account .

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Suraj71

Nov 29, 2018 10:55am

Everyone is seeing pak as a cake and rushing for own share..

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Gaz

Nov 29, 2018 10:59am

when officers on the ground know the state is backing them they then fully implement the law no matter who the person is.

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Danish

Nov 29, 2018 11:02am

Welldone done custum department doing good job. It will be good idea if that money deposit in Dam fund

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Mansur Ul Haque

Nov 29, 2018 11:15am

May be he was carrying to donate in Basha dam.

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Leoman

Nov 29, 2018 12:04pm

Good for what, For spotting and catching someone without formal permission to carry such an amount or good for finally leaving him to go. However, we have rules with lot of exceptions and we praise such actions which basically set no example at all.

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Saif Zulfiqar

Nov 29, 2018 01:09pm

Why diplomat was carrying Cash? He could have transferred money into his account from Kuwait through his bank. All Diplomats are under Pakistanis laws.

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kitkat

Nov 29, 2018 01:50pm

@Leoman, Diplomatic immunity as per UN laws, Pakistan laws not applicable,

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Ahmad

Nov 29, 2018 02:55pm

@Ali, Why? It is his hard earned money. Do not loot others for building dam. "The customs authorities said the official produced a certificate of his embassy as well as his salary certificate"

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M.Saeed

Nov 29, 2018 06:58pm

It is a unique case of being active beyond the call of duty. Otherwise, every diplomatic baggage is allowed to go untouched under the supervision of the officials of embassies and the personnel of the various checking agencies at the airports.

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kamal

Nov 29, 2018 07:09pm

In day light, money has been stolen from a Kuwaiti diplomate. This time it happened to be a customs department.

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Alla Bux

Nov 29, 2018 08:56pm

Diplomatic immunity. Money will be returned and our FM will be forced to apologize. Meanwhile, Kuwait will hit back throwing a few hundred Pakistanis out of Kuwait and seizing their assets. So, what did we gain? Fire the over zealous custom officials and mend the relations immediately.

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Nov 30, 2018 12:37am

@ab, doesn't matter, still illegal.

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Hasan Ali Rizvi Ottawa Canada

Nov 30, 2018 01:43pm

Will State Bank of Pakistan, customs, FBR will clarify that how much a NON-RESIDENT PAKISTANI can carry cash US$ with him, presently it is very difficult to understand present financial policy under PTI.

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