FAISALABAD, Oct 21: Referring to a news item published in Dawn’s Oct 10 issue under the headline, “Customs collect lab fund despite CBR ban”, the Customs House, Faisalabad, has clarified that “there is no letter or instructions of the CBR purporting to stop the collection of laboratory charges”.

According to Assistant Collector Amir Rashid, lab charges are being collected lawfully for many years at Faisalabad dryport and other dryports and seaports in the country with the “explicit approval of the CBR”.

He said: “The accusation that lab funds are misused is bereft of reality. Not only the accounts of the lab funds are properly maintained, they are also subject to internal and external audit. Every year these accounts are audited and reports are sent to CBR. The external audit agency has never pointed out any misuse of the lab fund.”