QUETTA: A programme was organised here on Sunday to mark the International Customs Day.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Collector Customs, Balochistan, Zulfiqar Ali Chaudhry said that Pakistan Customs was playing a vital role in collecting state revenues, stopping drug trafficking and promoting legal trade in the country. He said it had collected revenues more than its target in the last seven months.

He said that Pakistan Customs was taking every possible step to promote legal trade across the country. He said work on a computerised system and WeBOC was in progress, adding that significant steps had been taken to prevent smuggling in the country, especially in Balochistan.

“Abdul Qudoos Sheikh, our most capable officer was targeted by smugglers and he was martyred,” Mr Chaudhry said while paying tribute to martyrs of Customs.

“Smuggling is hollowing out the roots of our society. Customs keep a watch on smuggling in very precarious conditions,” he added.

He said that the information economy was harming the economy of the country.

He said despite facing hurdles Pakistan Customs would continue its efforts to promote legal trade for increasing revenues of the country.

He praised contribution of law enforcement agencies, including Frontier Crops, police and Levies, in carrying out actions against smuggling in the province.

Collector Customs Preventive Iftikhar Ahmad and Collector Appraisement Mr Raza also expressed their views.

They said smuggling at any level would not be tolerated. They said hundreds of non-customs-paid vehicles and other contraband goods had been recovered from smugglers. More than 2,000 kilograms of hashish, which has estimated worth of Rs500 million, had been recovered.

Collector Customs Raza said that more than Rs16 billion had been collected by Appraisement Collectorate, Quetta, adding that the amount collected in the last seven month was more than the target assigned to Customs by the Federal Board of Revenue.

He said that the Badini Custom office at the Pak-Afghan border would be functional by March 23. An immigration hall at the Taftan has been established where one window operation has been introduced.

At the end of the programme certificates were distributed among best performing Customs officials and import, export and clearing agents.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2020