ISLAMABAD: A $1.4 billion Customs scam allegedly planned and executed at Karachi with connivance of high-level custom officers by allowing unlawful clearance of over 52,000 GDs of imported goods during the period from July 1, 2022 to June 15, 2023 has shaken the prospects of the senior custom officers for capturing the slot of Chairman FBR after their ‘non-involvement’ in the mega scam is being widely and publicly questioned.
After the discovery of alleged scam, Member Custom FBR had taken the position that the concerned custom collectorates in Karachi had themselves detected the scam and had asked the Directorate of reforms and automation to build in the automated clearance system such features which could prevent such scams in future.
On the other hand, the high ups of reforms and automation affirmed that the Directorate of Reforms and Automation had initially discovered the scam and had asked FBR to take action.
Moreover, after the discovery of the scam member custom had taken the position that if importers had filed GDs without tagging financial instruments claiming a concessionary tax regime which, after processing of their documents, was not found admissible and was denied, there was no illegality on the part of importers to file their GDs without tagging the mandatory financial instruments.
Sources said that, by taking such a position, Member custom had declared lawful any attempt on the part of importers to commit fiscal fraud, an offence which the custom punishes with imprisonment of 14 years under section 156(14A) of the Custom Act.
Interestingly, after the member custom took this position on the scam, his field officers contradicted it by issuing a letter and holding those importers liable who claimed inadmissible concessions and filed GDs without tagging the mandatory financial instruments.
In another strange development after the scam, sources revealed, FBR has reportedly written to chief collector Quetta to prepare and furnish a charge sheet against director Reform and Automation who earlier served as Collector Quetta customs and who had now discovered the mega revenue loss scam in an apparent attempt to silence the whistle blower and bury the scam.
Sources said that victimisation of whistleblowers by FBR has become the order of the day to shield the recurring custom scams in FBR’s field offices from public view and accountability.
Sources said that whereas victimisation of any civil servant has been defined as misconduct under rule 27 of the Conduct Rules, 1964, making the victim liable to punishment of dismissal from service.
Earlier, the FBR had transferred and sidelined officers from positions after the officers blew the whistle on massive corrupt practices.
Sources wondered why the current chairman FBR has been approving blindly and without any reservation the retaliatory actions of high-ups of FBR against the whistle-blowers who attempted to safeguard public revenues from the nefarious designs of corrupt mafia of custom officers and importers.
