Chairman of Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association (PSMA) A. Abdullah Zaki has urged the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take appropriate action against those officials of Customs Intelligence and Investigation and other government departments who are harassing importers in the name of checking of loaded-vehicles of soap raw materials and finished products in Punjab despite the fact that loaded raw materials and finished products are duty-paid.
"Some of our members also informed us that transporters are being forced to pay heavy speed money; otherwise they could not manage to cross the said post," he said, asking whether the wing had any authority to ask for any documents after clearance by customs authority and to keep it without reassessment proceedings or re-evaluation of the goods.
He further said that some unknown inspectors carry out sudden inspections, occasionally at night hours and on week-end and because of that PSMA's members didn't contact the relevant office to verify their identity. He complained that they didn't show any authority letter on the pretext that they were allowed to do so.
"Our members fall victims to unnecessary harassment or impersonators because identity of the inspectors cannot be confirmed since none of them show their identity cards or authority letters," he said. Abdullah Zaki said that the officials of different departments may take action to prevent tax evasion and corruption, but some officials are reportedly involved in harassing importers for undue gains, while the business community aims at generating revenues to bring economy back on the track. He said that businessmen review overall business climate along with various economic indicators and accordingly devise policies in the largest interest of the country. He said soap industry shall do better business and would be more strengthened if better business climate was provided.
The Chairman PSMA urged the prime minister, finance minister and the FBR chief that it would in the better interest of the country's economy if the FBR take appropriate action against their subordinates.