ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is to take immediate precautionary measures at airports, especially Islamabad Airport to check any possible illegal clearance of non-duty paid goods under the cover of baggage schemes after imposition of major penalty of dismissal from services on customs officials at Karachi and Lahore airports.
In this regard the FBR has issued notifications here on Saturday.
Sources told Business Recorder that the customs officials working presently over three years period at airports may be transferred and removed from existing positions to avoid any misuse of their positions at Islamabad airport.
According to the first notification of the FBR issued on Saturday, the accused officer and Departmental Representative (Ahmad Zaheer, Deputy Collector) appeared before the Member (Admn/HR)/Authority. The DR informed that the accused officer being Superintendent (Baggage) failed to verify all aspects before allowing the filing of BD for used engine in the grab of bona fide baggage in violation of Baggage Rules notified vide SRO.666(I)/2006. The accused officer informed that the BD was formally marked/signed by the Deputy Collector concerned to him and he accordingly allowed the same being already approved by the Officer Incharge. He also referred to the 1st Fact
Finding Inquiry report wherein nothing adverse was found against him. He claimed that he submitted the BD after the same was signed/marked by the Officer Incharge. As regards the allegation of corruption and taking personal benefits from clearing agents, the accused stated that the statement of the clearing agent before the Inquiry Officer was without any basis or evidence.
After examining the relevant record, inquiry report, written and oral submissions made by the accused officer and the DR, it has been observed that despite having experience of Customs laws/rules for more than 30 years, the accused customs official allowed clearance of a used engine in the garb of personal baggage in violation of the relevant law/rules, which resulted in the levy of short duty/taxes by Rs.306,553/-.
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As regards marking of BD to him by the Deputy Collector/Officer Incharge, the same was marked to him for processing as per relevant rules and mere marking of BD to him does not in any way suggest clearance of the same even if not covered under the rules. Even-otherwise, no such directions of the Deputy Collector are available on record, which could justify the accused’s stance. The major penalty, as recommended by the Inquiry Officer, neither commensurate with the gravity of the proven charges of “Inefficiency”, “Misconduct” and “Corruption” nor is it commensurate with the findings of the Inquiry Officer.
Whereas, the Member (Admn/HR), FBR, being the “Authority” under Rule-2(1)(c) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020, having gone through the available record, facts of the case, inquiry report, Show Cause Notice and reply of Show Cause Notice, written and oral submissions made by the accused officer and contentions of DR during course of hearing proceedings, has therefore, decided to impose major penalty of “Dismissal from Service” with immediate effect under Rule-4(3)(e) read with Rule 16(7)(b) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020 upon Muhammad Asif Nawaz, Superintendent (TS-17/under Suspension).
As per second notification of the FBR, 5.
According to the video clipping, the passenger was carrying currency of UK pounds 6000 with him, which were over & above the maximum limit (ie, equivalent to USD 5000).
During the inquiry proceedings, specific evidence of taking illegal gratification from the passenger could not be proved but as confirmed by the DR, the CCTV footage of the relevant Customs desk proves that the accused officer had detained the complainant passenger in the search room for 28 minutes without any other witnesses, which was contrary to the prescribed procedure. The accused officer denied the charge of any illegal gratification and claimed that the passenger had no currency declaration form and that he had allowed him to submit the same. Accordingly, he had submitted declaration form of UK Pounds 3,600 which was within the prescribed limit of USD 5000 which was also confirmed through his body search. The accused officer also claimed that the video complaint against him did not support the stance of the complainant.
After examining the relevant record, inquiry report, video complaint of the passenger, written and oral submissions made by the accused officer and the DR, it has been observed that the accused officer detained the complainant in the search room for a considerable time, ie, 28 minutes without any witness, which is proved beyond any shadow of doubt. In case the passenger was carrying UK Pounds 3,600 as declared in the form, which was also confirmed during his body search, as claimed by the accused, then retention of the passenger for 28 minutes in the search room and that too in the absence of any other witness was not justified.
Besides, once the passenger had signed the Currency Declaration Form (CDF) in the search room instead of at the Currency Desk, as admitted by the accused during the inquiry proceedings, the passenger was required to submit it at the Currency Desk himself. On the contrary, as confirmed during the inquiry proceedings, the accused officer took the matter into his own hands, took a photograph of the CDF and sent it to lady Sepoy Aqsa, who was posted at the Currency Desk. Besides, the accused officer was required to call two or more witnesses in the search room as required under Sections 158 and 159(2) of Customs Act, 1969. All the video and circumstantial evidence clearly proves that the video complaint of the passenger against the accused officer regarding taking of bribe of UK Pounds 2000 is correct. Hence, minor penalty recommended by the Inquiry Officer, is not justified and the accused officer deserves a major penalty commensurating with such a serious charge of “Misconduct”.
Whereas, the Member (Admn/HR), FBR, being the “Authority” under Rule-2(1)(c) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020, having gone through the available record, facts of the case, inquiry report, Show Cause Notice and reply of Show Cause Notice, written and oral submissions made by the accused officer and contentions of DR during course of hearing proceedings, has therefore, decided to impose major penalty of “Dismissal from Service” with immediate effect under Rule-4(3)(e) read with Rule 16(7)(b) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020 upon Syed Arshad Ali, Preventive Officer (BS-16/under Suspension), the FBR added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
