The federal government may restore anti-smuggling powers of Civil Armed Forces, including Frontier Corps of Balochistan and NWFP, Pakistan Rangers of Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan Coast Guards and Frontier Constabulary. Sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to revisit the issue of entrusting powers of anti-smuggling to Civil Armed Forces.
In this connection, the FBR has issued instructions to the Collector, Model Customs Collectorate (MCC), Peshawar, to submit a detailed report highlighting sensitivities of smuggling of certain items like fertiliser and livestock, etc. Sources said that the federal government had earlier withdrawn anti-smuggling powers entrusted to army, navy, coast guards, frontier constabulary and rangers. At that time, the FBR had rescinded seven notifications through an SRO (I)/2006.
Following issuance of SRO, the Pakistan army, navy, FC, NWFP/Balochistan, coast guards, Punjab Rangers and Singh Rangers were not empowered to operate as custom officials under the tax laws. The notifications which were rescinded included SRO.556(I)/71 of November 29, 1971; SRO.589(I)/71 of December 4, 1971; SRO.29(I)/71; SRO.29(I)/73 of January 3, 1973; SRO.524(I)/74 of April 23, 1974; SRO.1017(I)/74, July 26, 1974; SRO.281(I)/95, April 9, 1995 and SRO.59(I)/2000 of February 14, 2000.
Sources said that when the anti-smuggling powers of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were withdrawn, such agencies had contested the withdrawal of their powers hurting the anti-smuggling drive at borders. The massive misuse of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) remained unchecked for last many years. Now, the government is planning to restore the anti-smuggling powers of such agencies to check smuggling across the country.
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