PM orders activating anti-smuggling courts

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday ordered the authorities concerned to make the anti-smuggling courts active immediately, while the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) announced that smugglers of essential commodities including wheat, flour, sugar and urea would face heavy fine and jails terms in future.

The FBR made an amendment to the Customs Act, 1969, making more commodities including wheat, flour, sugar and urea part of list of essential commodities. Under the law, smugglers of these commodities would face heavy fine and minimum two-year jail term, according to a release issued here. The FBR issued SRO 495(I)/2023 on April 14, 2023 to make amendment to the Customs Act, 1969. The amended Section 156 of the Customs Act outlines the penalties for smuggling essential commodities, which includes rigorous imprisonment.

The penalties vary depending on the value of the goods that have been smuggled. If the value of the goods is between Rs500,001 to 3,000,000, the individual involved would be subject to a penalty not exceeding the value of the goods, and may also face imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

For goods valued between Rs3,000,001 to 5,000,000, the penalty may not exceed two times the value of the goods, and imprisonment may be for a term not exceeding three years. For goods valued between Rs5,000,001 to 7,500,000, the penalty may not exceed three times the value of the goods, and imprisonment may be for a term not exceeding five years. If the value of the goods is between Rs7,500,001 to 10,000,000, the penalty may not exceed four times the value of the goods, and imprisonment may be for a term not exceeding 10 years, said the press release.

Finally, for goods valued at over Rs10,000,000, the penalty may not exceed five times the value of the goods, and imprisonment may be for a term not exceeding 14 years. It is important to note that, for goods notified by the federal government in the official gazette, the sentence of imprisonment may not be less than five years. Furthermore, the individual involved may also face the forfeiture of their moveable and immoveable assets and property, in accordance with section 187 of the Customs Act, 1969.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to present the draft for necessary legislation to prevent smuggling of wheat, sugar, flour and urea, saying that nationwide action was also underway to stop the illegal practice.

Chairing a meeting, called here on Monday to discuss prevention of sugar, wheat, flour and urea smuggling, the PM also ordered for making anti-smuggling courts active and effective immediately.

The meeting was informed that a nationwide operation was under way to prevent the smuggling of urea fertiliser and sugar. He pointed out that on Sunday, 49 trucks were seized by the FBR and law-enforcement agencies, while the FC also foiled attempts to smuggle thousands of tons of urea and sugar and seized the commodities.

Joint patrolling teams are being established to stop cross-border smuggling while four joint patrolling check-posts have been established in Balochistan. The PM issued instructions to the institutions concerned to increase the number of check-posts. He also directed Suparco to provide real-time satellite imagery of the country’s borders and traffic data to prevent smuggling.

The meeting was informed that the items caught in the failed smuggling attempts were being delivered to the dealers and facilitators under the track-and-trace system.

The PM directed the Punjab chief secretary to supply the sugar seized in the recent failed smuggling attempts to the vendors and ensure that it was sold at the government fixed rate of Rs95 per kilogram.

Speaking in the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz Sharif admitted that country’s foreign exchange reserves were under severe stress currently. He praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for granting a loan of $2 billion to Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for giving $1 billion to increase the reserves and fulfil another condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“All the terms of International Monetary Fund (IMF) had been met,” he told the NA while paying tribute to the late Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor. The National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution paying rich tribute to the services and contribution of the late minister in restoring peace in erstwhile tribal areas and making outstanding arrangements for Hajj. The House offered Fateha for the departed soul, who died in a traffic accident.

The PM said Mufti Abdul Shakoor was the person who proposed inviting overseas Pakistanis to sponsor their loved-ones or themselves by sending foreign exchange for Hajj this year. He said the late Mufti was ‘a gem’ of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF).

He also congratulated Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on getting place among 100 most influential women’s list of ‘Times’ magazine for raising effective voice on climate change and its impact on the developing countries.

Federal Minister of Communications Maulana Asad Mahmood, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel, MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of JI, MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, Minister of Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shazain Bugti and others also praised the late minister.

Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif instructed the country’s mission in the United Arab Emirates to facilitate the families of Pakistanis who died in a fire incident in Dubai. Sixteen people including three Pakistanis lost their lives after a fire broke out in their apartment in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar called on PM Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the minister of state briefed the PM about her recent visit to Uzbekistan, Pakistan’s ties with the neighbouring countries and the matters related to her ministry, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said the revelations by the ex-governor of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) about the reality of Pulwama incident had exposed India’s designs against Pakistan.

In a tweet, he said the revelations showed how the Indian government exploited the situation for political gains, which vindicated Pakistan’s position. He urged the international community to take notice of India’s dangerous brinkmanship that could have led to disastrous consequences for the region.