ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered an under-invoicing scam allegedly defrauded the national treasury of more than Rs81 million.

After investigations, the FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle, Islamabad, has lodged an FIR highlighting a complex web of corruption involving an ice cream giant’s authorised importer, intermediary companies, and complicit customs officials.

The FIA’s probe reveals that the company responsible for importing ice cream from the United States has been accused of orchestrating a systematic under-invoicing operation between 2019 and 2021.

FIA Inspector Mohammad Tauqir, who is leading the investigations, said further inquiries would uncover the full extent of this corruption and bring all those responsible to justice. The FIA’s analysis uncovered significant discrepancies between genuine invoices and the falsified documents submitted for customs clearance.

While the actual quantity and weight of the imported goods remained consistent, the declared values were drastically reduced, allowing the perpetrators to evade substantial customs duties and taxes. The FIR has named several individuals, including, a senior official posted at the Collectorate of Customs, Karachi, who is accused of facilitating the fraudulent clearance. These individuals face charges under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947, and the Customs Act 1969.

The FIA has also indicated that the investigation is expanding to include scrutiny of other customs officials, including some former officials posted at Port Qasim Karachi.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025