ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the relevant authorities to accelerate efforts to stop the menace of smuggling across Pakistan.
He was chairing a high-level review meeting in Islamabad for the prevention of smuggling on Wednesday.
He expressed satisfaction over the reduction in smuggling, saying no one will be allowed to dent the national economy through the scourge of smuggling.
The Prime Minister said the government is using modern technology to curb smuggling. He added that it is a good omen that smuggling has reduced due to the effective operations of the authorities concerned.
Shehbaz Sharif said legal action should be taken against those people and their facilitators who are involved in smuggling. He directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Ministry of Interior and other concerned agencies to further strengthen their cooperation in this regard.
He ordered the relevant authorities to present a comprehensive plan for the provision of better employment opportunities in the border areas.
The meeting was briefed that a comprehensive campaign is underway under the Ministry of Interior to curb the smuggling of petroleum products, mobile phones, cigarettes, gold, clothes, tea, commodities, vehicle tires and spare parts.
It was informed that a web portal has been launched for the prevention of Sugar and Urea, while a mechanism for the identification of non-custom paid vehicles is also in the final stages.
The meeting was told that fifty-four joint check posts have been set up under the directives of the Prime Minister to stop smuggling.
Similarly, 212 vehicles of the Afghan Transit Trade fleet, which were feared to be involved in smuggling, have been identified and banned. During the meeting, it was told that a bank guarantee had been made compulsory instead of only an insurance guarantee for the Afghan Transit Trade.
The meeting was apprised that besides an overall significant decline in the smuggling of basic goods, the smuggling of petroleum products has been cut to fifty percent while Sugar is 80 percent.
During the year 2023-24, the smuggled items worth Rs106 billion were confiscated and the anti-smuggling drive also led to the reduction in hoarding practices. The participants of the meeting were also apprised of the action taken against the officers involved in smuggling.
It was told that the process to identify the smugglers, their facilitators and transporters is underway at a fast pace, in cooperation with NADRA, Excise and other relevant departments.
