The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued an exhaustive standard operating procedure for the interception of suspected smuggled/non-custom paid (NCP) vehicles on the instruction of the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) secretariat.
While disposing of a complaint, FTO had directed the Director General Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigations (Customs) to issue a standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding the interception of suspected smuggled vehicles to control the incidents of harassment by Customs field staff.
Briefly, The complaint was filed with the FTO against Deputy Superintendent Rai Waqar and other officials, Directorate of I&I (Customs), Lahore, in terms of Section 10(1) of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000 (FTO Ordinance), for initiation of Departmental legal proceedings for abuse of power, illegal harassment.
The FTO’s order emphasized the Director General, Directorate General of I&I (Customs) to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the incident regarding the misbehavior and attitude of officials; demands of bribe from the complainant, and damage to the vehicle, initiate necessary disciplinary proceedings against those found guilty.
FTO further recommended that FBR should also issue a standard operating procedure (SOP) for interception of suspected vehicles duly taking into account, inter alia, the sanctity of families and ordinary citizens to curb the incidents of harassment by Customs field staff.
Accordingly, in order to ensure that no public harassment will take place while intercepting suspected smuggled/NCP vehicles or cut plus welded chassis frame FBR through DG I&I –Customs has issued a Standard operating procedure (SOP) where in its chassis has been emphasized that the concerned Deputy Director shall maintain and regularly update the import clearance, amnesty scheme and auction data of vehicles.
In case the suspected vehicle does not stop, it shall be carefully chased, and the relevant Law Enforcement Agency shall also be engaged for support. Once the I.O. Â has determined that reasonable suspicion exists that the vehicle is smuggled/NCP, he shall immediately inform and obtain approval of the concerned Assistant Deputy Director for its detention.
FTO secretariat has also advised Member Customs Operations (FBR) to follow the suit, an SOP on similar lines plus a training plan be initiated in all Collectorates of Customs on a country-wide basis.
