Clearing 73 consignments on wrong VRs: efforts on to protect 15 assessing officers

''Petti-Band Bhai'' culture, which is known for police department, is now being promoted in customs department; it was learnt here on Wednesday. According to sources, the customs officers are now striving to protect their 15 ''Petti-Band Bhaies'', who are involved in clearing 73 consignments on wrong valuation rulings (VRs), causing to have provided a colossal revenue loss of Rs 15 million.
They said that 15 assessing officers belonging to Model Collectorate of Customs (MCC), Appraisement-West had been caught during Post Release Verification (PRV) for the period of July-September 2013. The PRV proved that these officers had not applied notified valuation rulings in 73 cases that led a revenue loss of Rs 15 million. In order to show the performance, the MCC, Appraisement-West had put two assessing officers off duty with immediate effect while rest of the others had been asked for the recovery of the amount involved in those VRs till October 30, 2013. The department had also warned that if they bite the dust in recovering short payments from importers, disciplinary action would be taken against them under E&D Rules 1973.
"Although no recovery of short payments has so far been made from importers even after the lapse of deadline, the department instead of squeezing the neck of its officials has started transferring them to the MCC Port Qasim," they said. Replying to a question, sources said that the MCC Appraisement-West had so far transferred its four officers while the transfer-postings of rest of 11 officers were in pipeline.
They said that transfer-postings of these officers, who were involved in clearing 73 consignments on wrong VRs, were aimed at settling down the dust. They also expressed apprehension that these officers would again be posted in assessment hall of the MCC, Appraisement-West after few months. However, Muhammad Saleem, Collector MCC, Appraisement-West shifted all his responsibilities to Web Based One Customs (WeBOC), saying that his assessing officers were not familiar with WeBOC, which had been lodged in July, 2013 that led the clearance of consignments on wrong VRs.