Actual number of missing NATO containers higher than reported: FTO

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Dr Suddle said that actual number of missing NATO containers was higher than reported. He further said that some FIA investigation team member wants to misguide the court. He should that all the culprits should be brought to justice.

He revealed that tax collection potential of Pakistan is about Rs.4-5 trillion. “We have come to know that there is a pilferage in the taxation system and resultantly we are only collecting one third of the tax potential”, Dr Suddle said .Highlighting the performance of FTO Secretariat, he said that in the year 2010, the Office of Federal Tax Ombudsman received 1446 individual complaints of which 955 pertained to income tax, 276 to sales tax, 205 to customs and 10 complaints involved the Federal Excise Duty.

FIA to probe import of expired sugar from India

FIA has launched investigation to probe the import of expired sugar from India after seizing the imported stock.
Sources told that manufacturing and expiry dates are not printed on the imported sugar bags. FIA has directed TCP to provide all the trade documents within a day. On the other hand, TCP spokesman Khizar Hayat said that 30 thousand tons of sugar has been imported on the orders of ECC in September, from which 18 thousand tons has been unloaded from the containers.

Nato smuggling case: SC orders arrest of container owners

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered arrest of the containers owners allegedly involved in contraband smuggling in Nato tankers and asked the Custom officials to produce one-year record of goods duty evasion.
The CJ directed Dr Moeed Pirzada, Director World Affairs Programme of Dunya News, to assist the court in this regard. The court directed Dunya News to produce the CD of the programme Dunya Today in which the smuggling scam has been unearthed.
A three-judge SC bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ghulam Rabbani were hearing a suo motu notice on disappearance of goods from the Nato containers. According to reports, goods are routinely pilfered and sometimes an entire convoy of containers goes missing during transit through Pakistan.
The CJ lamented that despite a big network of police and Customs, smuggling is being carried out. He said an independent institution should probe the case.
The CJ deplored that tax money of Rs550billion is being evaded in the country and added that in presence of an upright Customs department not even a single ballpoint could be smuggled. He observed that it seemed as if FBR collects tax from salaried people of the society.
It is mention worthy that about 10,000 to 11,000 containers worth Rs220 billion with prohibited and non-prohibited luggage for Nato forces reportedly did not reach Afghanistan during the past couple of years because of corruption in the customs department, causing huge revenue losses to the national kitty. The issue cropped up during proceedings relating to seizure of a large quantity of liquor worth Rs80 million found in a container of Isaf contractor, Luner Products Company based in Afghanistan.

Pak-Afg transit trade pact yet to be signed: Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said that under the Pak-Afghan transit trade arrangement, only transport of trade goods from Afghanistan would be allowed and that too up to Wagah border only, while no Indian goods would be transported to Afghanistan through this route.

While addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister Secretariat here, he said that only a Letter of Understanding (LoU) has been signed for this purpose so far.

“Confusion is prevailing from the very first day in this regard and reports, editorials and special reports, being contrary to the facts and against the interests of the country, are being published,” said the minister.

“The LoU has been signed for one way transit trade facility for Afghan goods up to Wagah border, and not for reverse trade from India”, he said

This would be a bilateral agreement under which, Pakistan would allow Afghan goods export to India via Wagah border and Kabul will provide transit facility to Pakistani goods to Central Asians States (CARs),” he added.

Kaira said that it was regrettable that despite the fact that even though the government made it very clear right at the outset that the transit facility would only be for Afghan goods, now on the third day of the news, a section of press has carried editorial comments and special reports on the assumption that Indian trade though Pakistan would be against our interests.

To a question, he said that Pakistan Customs would evaluate the Afghan goods at the Torkham border, seal the containers and issue bank bonds, which would only be returned after the goods are handed over to India at Wagah border.

Pakistan releases 17 Indian prisoners

LAHORE: Pakistan has released 17 Indian prisoners through the Wahga Border on Wednesday as a gesture of good will, Geo News reported.

These Indian nationals were sentenced for charges of overstay, smuggling and crossing of border without appropriate documents.

Talking to media before departure, the Indian prisoners said they are looking forward for the reunion with their families. They thanked Pakistani officials for their kind behavior.

Kyber-Pakhtoonkhaw bars Nato containers entry

ISLAMABAD: The provincial government of Kyber-Pakhtoonkhaw has denied entry to 50 containers of NATO supplies on Wednesday.

According to sources, intelligence agencies informed the local government that the terrorists could target containers and therefore, the containers have been stopped at Attock Bridge to avoid any untoward incident. Intelligence agencies have shared the information with federal and provincial governments in this connection and recommended to boost security measures.

Motorway police stopped Nato containers, says Bashir

PESHAWAR: Senior Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bashir Ahmed Bilour said there was no ban on Nato containers’ entry into the province, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Talking to Geo News, the minister said the provincial government leveled no ban on the containers’ entry into the provincial limits.

The senior minister said the number of the containers increased significantly at Torkham border in Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency; accordingly, the Motorway Police stemmed their movement.

Rajasthan: India Fuel Depot Fire 5 killed

Rajasthan: India Fuel Depot Fire 5 killed, A huge fire broke out at an Indian Oil Coporation (IOC) fuel depot in the outskirts of Jaipur, capital of the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, killing at least 5 and injuring nearly 115 people. “One of the oil tanks caught fire and then it spread rapidly. There were huge flames as high as 70 feet and the whole area of nearly 2-3 kilometres was englufed in fire and flames,” an eyewitness said. All four containers in the depot have exploded and the army has joined in rescue operations. The depot contains about nine million litres of fuel products.

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Rajasthan: India Fuel Depot Fire 5 killed was first posted on October 30, 2009 at 8:16 am.

Attack On Nato Supply In Chaman, 25 Vehicles Destroyed

CHAMAN: The fire, which broke out after blast and firing at the containers and Nato oil tankers in Chaman area of Pak-Afghan border, could not be put out as yet, Geo News reported in the wee hours of Monday.

Also, the contingents of army have been called in to control the situation.

According to sources, some unidentified miscreants attacked with rockets at the Nato-supply cavalcade stationed at Pak-Afghan border a little after Iftar time and fired gunshots, which caused to set vehicles on blaze.

According to sources, over 25 containers, oil tankers, trailers and the vehicles mounted on trailers were all destroyed with three people injured in the incident.

Soon after the incident, Frontier Corps and Police put a security cordon around the area.

It should be mentioned here over thousand Nato supply vehicles and other trucks carrying commercial goods are standing stuck owing to the difference of mode of checking between the forces of Pak and Afghan forces.

Also, some unidentified miscreants tried to annihilate the containers for Nato supply on Sunday evening a little before Iftar; however, the bomb was neutralized with on time action.

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Attack On Nato Supply In Chaman, 25 Vehicles Destroyed was first posted on August 31, 2009 at 11:11 am.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.