Pakistan abolishes Customs Intelligence department

Pakistan has abolished the Customs Intelligence department to improve operational efficiencies and safeguard national trade security and economic interests.

Documents available with Nukta state that Pakistan's collection authority — the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) — has directed the department to not carry out anti-smuggling operations as well as blocking or deblocking through the Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) system.

Similarly, the FBR has also barred the Customs Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation (I&I) from conducting 'sting operations'.

"The FBR shall be issuing a new Charter of Functions, a Customs General Order (CGO) delineating jurisdictions of the Directorates of I&I, and rules defining the term "sting operations" and how they are to be carried out with the approval of the Member Customs (Operations)," a letter issued by the authority to the Directorate General of I&I stated.

A FBR committee had recently recommended re-organization of I&I Customs.

Under the new Charter of Functions, the Directorates of Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad and Gwadar shall be closed and the FBR will create a new office of Director General (Enforcement).

Under the new scheme, most of the functions and infrastructure of I&I Customs, including warehouses and some staff, will be transferred to the new office of the DG (Enforcement).

The FBR has directed Customs DG I&I to complete seven tasks, including complete stock-taking of all existing warehouses, status of office buildings and spaces occupied by the DG including vehicles, the current budgetary position, ongoing inquiries, and human resource strength, and submit the report by November 12.

The documents also state that the FBR wants to improve operational efficiency, eradicate duplication of efforts, safeguard national trade security and economic interests.

Recently, Pakistan's prime minister approved a transformation plan for the FBR, which proposed establishing Digital Enforcement Stations on 24 bridges of Indus and Hub rivers to curb smuggling worth PKR 750 billion.