Most of the Customs staff, working in the Appraisement Collectorate and the examiners of imported material are notorious in corruption. Adopting various measures, harassing the clearing agents, threatening them of dire consequences for the cancellation of licences so that the importers are pressurised and heavily burdened with a penalty, under Customs laws for mis-declaration or the import of banned items etc. They thus extract substantial bribes. It needs not much investigation and can be established from their living standards which does not match with their lawful income. An ordinary employee of below 14 and 16 grade, lives in a posh locality, maintains precious cars, and costly cellular phones.
They are harsh, rude and not amenable to discipline and behave like monarchs of olden days, who were not answerable to any one. This tendency is to be checked with strict administrative control, otherwise it turn into a malignant cancer, never to be cured.
The Audit Department has another story to tell. The files are piled up, clearing agents and importers are called to visit them and unless palms are greased, an NOC is not issued on refusal. The files are returned with unwarranted and uncalled for objections. The Valuation Department is also dancing on the same tune. In short corruption is everywhere, without major surgery, there will be no return.
Since Azhar Majeed Khalid has assumed the charge of the Appraisement Collectorate of Karachi a congenial atmosphere has been witnessed and the caller is not returned unresponded, and genuine grievances are redressed promptly. The fleet of staff, under his control is not entirely corrupt. There are lots of Appraisers, Principal Appraisers, Asstt. Collectors and Deputy Collectors, who are efficient, hard working, honest and devoted to their assignments.
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