ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) here Friday issued strict instructions to its field offices to implement the directions of the Prime Minister regarding prevention of smuggling of food items out of the country.
The instructions have been issued to the Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation Customs, Islamabad and Chief Collector of Customs, Baluchistan, Quetta and Chief Collector of Customs, North, Islamabad, according to an FBR press statement issued here.
The Prime Minister has taken a serious notice of the shortage of food items including wheat, wheat flour, sugar, maize, maida, poultry, fresh fruits, vegetables and livestock etc. in the country.
The statement added that the Prime Minister had directed that all efforts should be made to control the smuggling of these food items out of the country.
The Federal government has introduced Covid-19 (Prevention of Smuggling) Ordinance-2020 to empower law enforcement agencies to stop the smuggling of food items, the statement added.
The board has directed Pakistan Customs to deploy all their possible resources for this task and make all endeavors in their areas of jurisdiction to control the smuggling, especially of food items.
The customs authorities were further directed to keep close liaison with law enforcement agencies while the board directed for ensuring strict vigilance at the time of clearance of export consignments to thwart any attempt of mis-declaration/smuggling of these items in the garb of normal items.
The board directed Directorate General of I & I-Customs and Chief Collectors to submit the detail of steps taken and achieved results with the board and asked them to submit a fortnightly report on the 1st and 16th of every month to highlight anti-smuggling performance in their areas.
