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ISLAMABAD: Despite imposition of ban by the government, 30,000 CNG cylinders and kits have been imported in Pakistan in the last few months allegedly in connivance with the Customs authorities through forged documents, said officials on Friday.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet under the chairmanship of Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, minister for finance, has imposed a ban on the import of CNG cylinders and kits in a bid to discourage use of CNG in the vehicles. The ministry of commerce issued an SRO on February 1 for implementing the decision taken by the ECC, they said.
After obtaining a proof, the Customs authorities got approval and registered first information reports (FIRs) against the alleged culprits after identifying those who imported consignments for bringing CNG cylinders in the country.
The cleared consignments were destined for Karachi and Lahore so the customs authorities sent communications to field officers to apprehend those who are involved in this business, said officials.
“This is simply a case of fraud, which is aimed at pocketing multimillion rupees by bringing CNG cylinders in the country,” said officials in the FBR, adding that the profit of this business has become huge after imposition of ban by the government and in the market the price has gone up by at least Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 per cylinder.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation authorities received information that certain parties are violating the provisions of the Imports & Exports (Control) Act, 1950 and the Customs Act 1969, by illegally bringing CNG cylinders in the country and attempting to clear them through the customs by presenting allegedly manipulated, concocted, false and fictitious documents, said officials.
Five consignments of CNG cylinders are actually brought in the country during May and the goods declarations were filed to the customs with deliberately concocted / backdated bill of ladings to falsely reflect the shipment date as November 14, 2011 to circumvent the ban on import, they said.
The ocean voyage time from Mundra (India) to Karachi is hardly 36 hours and yet the journey took over five months.
During investigation, it was revealed that the alleged backdated bill of ladings do not have any stamp or record of date of shipment, which is an essential feature.
“All available record clearly proves beyond any doubt that the shipments of CNG cylinders were made from Mundra, India to Karachi on 24.05.2012,” said the customs authorities.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet under the chairmanship of Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, minister for finance, has imposed a ban on the import of CNG cylinders and kits in a bid to discourage use of CNG in the vehicles. The ministry of commerce issued an SRO on February 1 for implementing the decision taken by the ECC, they said.
After obtaining a proof, the Customs authorities got approval and registered first information reports (FIRs) against the alleged culprits after identifying those who imported consignments for bringing CNG cylinders in the country.
The cleared consignments were destined for Karachi and Lahore so the customs authorities sent communications to field officers to apprehend those who are involved in this business, said officials.
“This is simply a case of fraud, which is aimed at pocketing multimillion rupees by bringing CNG cylinders in the country,” said officials in the FBR, adding that the profit of this business has become huge after imposition of ban by the government and in the market the price has gone up by at least Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 per cylinder.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation authorities received information that certain parties are violating the provisions of the Imports & Exports (Control) Act, 1950 and the Customs Act 1969, by illegally bringing CNG cylinders in the country and attempting to clear them through the customs by presenting allegedly manipulated, concocted, false and fictitious documents, said officials.
Five consignments of CNG cylinders are actually brought in the country during May and the goods declarations were filed to the customs with deliberately concocted / backdated bill of ladings to falsely reflect the shipment date as November 14, 2011 to circumvent the ban on import, they said.
The ocean voyage time from Mundra (India) to Karachi is hardly 36 hours and yet the journey took over five months.
During investigation, it was revealed that the alleged backdated bill of ladings do not have any stamp or record of date of shipment, which is an essential feature.
“All available record clearly proves beyond any doubt that the shipments of CNG cylinders were made from Mundra, India to Karachi on 24.05.2012,” said the customs authorities.
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