Chief Collector (North), Nisar Ahmad, has said that despite the fact that Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) and FATA are facing havoc by militancy; the future of the province is bright, saying that it serves as gateway to Central Asian States.
Addressing at a ceremony in connection with International Customs Day on theme 'Borders Divide, Custom Connects' held here at Customs House, the chief collector said that Afghanistan and Central Asian Countries needed access to the Indian Ocean and fortunately the shortest routes for these landlocked countries passed through KP province.
Collector, Peshawar, Jehanzab Mahmood, retired customs officers S A Alam, Sher Nawaz and others, President of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KP-CCI) Afnan Aziz, traders, businessmen attended the event.
He said that the customs had to gear up for the opportunities to these new markets. "Our entrepreneurs, businessmen and investors need to explore these avenues which are yet to be fully explored for economic prosperity," he said, adding that the government also had the vision in the shape of plans as National Trade Corridor, the Peshawar-Torkham Expressway, the Northern By-pass and Agreement with Central Asian countries to facilitate the traffic of goods, people and services in the region for which this province would serve as a bridge.
The lingering insecurity and militancy has played havoc with the entire social fabric in the KP and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as it has seriously affected the organisational output of Model Customs Collecterate (MCC) as well as the business community, he said, and added that long and porous borders are exposed to smuggling of merchandise, narcotics and other contraband items, posing not only economic but also serious security risks to the state and society.
He said that enforcement of customs and allied laws along the western borders has assumed tremendous importance. Beside, other necessary measures are required for re-activation of the non-functional customs stations throughout FATA and Provincial Administered Tribal Areas (PATA).
But, he maintained, with depleted resources and aging workforce, the task has become even more difficult. Despite these limitations, the present officers and officials are discharging their obligation commendably well, even as some of them have been victims of terrorism during the performance of official duties, particularly at far-flung customs stations.
However, the chief collector customs said that Pakistan customs had made a commendable contribution to the country's economic development over the years. "For decades, Pakistan customs has been the leading agency in terms of contribution to the nation's exchequer," he said, adding that its achievements in the field of narcotics, interdiction, prevention of smuggling, evolution of sales tax system and enforcement of scores of allied laws at the import and export stage also brought home the fact that for decades customs has been the main pillar of Pakistan's economic growth.
SCCI president Afan Aziz shared his views about the prevailing deteriorating law and order situation for last some years. He said that businessmen and traders belonging to the province were patriotic, and added that despite such worse situation of kidnapping for ransom, bomb blast and others, the trading community did not shift business to other countries.
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