ISLAMABAD: Multan Tax Bar Association (MTBA) has expressed grave concern over the disappearance of at least 300 cartons of non-duty paid cigarettes from the Regional Tax Office (RTO) in Multan.

According to an urgent communication of the MTBA to Chairman, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Saturday, this incident, involves a significant loss to the national exchequer, estimated at Rs25-30 million and raises serious concerns about the security measures and internal controls in place at the RTO. In light of this alarming situation, MTBA has urged to take the necessary actions to ensure a transparent investigation and prevent future occurrences:

The FBR should establish a committee comprising senior officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), representatives from MTBA, the Chamber of Commerce, and members of civil society. This committee should be tasked with conducting a thorough investigation to determine the actual loss and identify those responsible.

It demanded that a FBR should lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the culprits to initiate criminal proceedings and ensure accountability. The FBR must implement immediate measures to secure the remaining stock of seized cigarettes. The FBR should conduct a physical stock take and audit under high security to ensure no further losses occur. The FBR should instruct the RTO Multan administration to refrain from destroying or burning any remaining stock until the committee’s report is prepared and published.

It asked that the FBR should install surveillance cameras throughout the RTO premises to ensure comprehensive monitoring and security.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024