ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue has failed to constitute an enquiry committee to investigate Collector GB’s disclosure of a massive revenue loss scam in the GB customs.
As per details, FBR did not constitute the promised enquiry committee to probe the former collector GB’s allegations disclosing the involvement of DG custom intelligence Faiz Ahmad in a big revenue loss scam allegedly executed by the DG through patronising the criminal money making activities of a principal appraiser Raja Waseem Ahmad in the GB customs.
Instead of immediately setting to enquire into the truth of Collector GB’s unusual disclosures of a revenue loss scam, FBR in the last week transferred the collector Nisar Ahmad and sidelined him as  secretary in FBR.
According to member custom operations FBR Mukarram Jah Ansari, the Chairman FBR had given directions and inquiry would be initiated in a few days.
Meanwhile, sources said that DG Customs intelligence had also written a letter to the chairman FBR explaining the reasons which, according to him, prompted the collector’s disclosures of the alleged revenue loss scam in GB customs.
When read side by side, the collector’s letter to member custom operations conveying to member heavy revenue losses in GB customs allegedly being caused by the collusion of DG custom intelligence with a principal appraiser and the DG’s letter to chairman FBR raising counter allegations against the collector, these two letter make a fit case for an immediate high level enquiry to determine which officer’s disclosures against the other are correct and to punish the officer found at fault.
One of the reasons why FBR seems hesitant for the last two week to enquire into the matter may be that FBR knows very well that the findings of such an enquiry may go against either or both of the two officers and will certainly expose and establish the restive love of senior custom officers for money making and their merciless disregard of their duty to safeguard the import revenues.
Sources said that these two officers’ letters against each other have put FBR in a difficult situation which FBR could avert by delaying the enquiry and pushing the scam under the carpet as has happened in the past after so many revenue loss scams caught public eye.
However, sources disclosed, the two officers’ letters against each and other record clearly show that Raja Waseem Ahmad Principal Appraiser, allegedly the central man to operate the scam, is under suspension due to his involvement in corrupt practices and revenue losses and that Collector GB caused his suspension. This indicates that the Collector GB may not be a party to the principal appraiser’s daring money making. Had the collector been behind the principal appraiser, he would never have caused his suspension. Why then a much junior officer like principal appraiser minted millions on each container and continued to amass the amount for months despite collector’s disapproval?
The fact central to the enquiry of GB customs revenue loss scam is the evidence of alleged collusion between the high ups of custom intelligence and the principal appraiser.
FBR can take into account many clues to connect the DG and principal appraiser into the alleged collusion or disconnect them from any such collusion.
For instance, the circumstances which prompted principal appraiser to indulge in massive money making despite collector’s disapproval, the transfer of principal appraiser’s proceedings to an officer working under DG, the DG’s silence on massive revenue losses in GB customs which DG himself admits and the DG’s claim that he blocked just 8 containers in the face of massive custom clearance crimes in GB customs and then chose to re examine only three of these eight containers are some of the circumstances which point at which of the two officers is speaking truth against the other.
By its hesitation to enquire into this plain and simple to understand scam of massive revenue loss in GB customs, FBR will only promote in its field formations a corrupt culture and disregard for the government revenue.
