Closure of Anti-Smuggling Board: FBR may take up matter with interior ministry

Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation, Customs and Excise, Islamabad has strongly recommended to abolish 'Federal Anti-Smuggling Board' (FASB) of the Ministry of Interior, ensuing customs working as sole anti-smuggling agency.
Sources told Business Recorder on Friday that the DG intelligence has asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to convince the government for closure of the FASB. The Customs is performing anti-smuggling agency functions and there is no need of FASB in view of the changed environment.
Sources said that the FBR is likely to take up matter with the Interior Ministry to end the working of FASB. It was the responsibility of the Federal Anti-Smuggling Board to promote co-ordination among the anti-smuggling agencies for controlling undocumented movement of goods at the international borders. Interior Ministry had constituted the FASB with the aim to effectively control movement of smuggled goods. Ministry of Interior is primarily responsible for prevention of smuggling and maintenance of law and order.
However, anti-smuggling powers of Pakistan army, navy, FC, NWFP/Balochistan, coast guards, Punjab Rangers, Singh Rangers and police had already been withdrawn.
Sources said that customs would independently operate under the powers of Customs Act, 1969 for which intervention of the FASB is no more required. Once the Interior Ministry abolishes the FASB, the involvement of Interior Ministry in anti-smuggling matters would be minimised.
It is important to mention that the board had expressed serious concern that the FASB headed by Secretary Interior and 'Provincial Anti-Smuggling Boards' chaired by the Governors have lost their effectiveness as hardly any meeting of these board have taken place since their constitution.
Sources further said that the tax authorities are not happy over the anti-smuggling performance of customs. During the last collector's conference, the FBR had directed the customs wing to devise a viable anti-smuggling policy.