Countrywide Operation Against Smuggled Vehicles Is Near To Launch

In a bid to shatter the aggravating number of smuggled vehicles in the country, the incumbent government has decided to launch a countrywide crackdown.

The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the Federal Board of Revenue to devise a policy design to collaborate with law enforcement agencies and police in executing the across-the-country crackdown against non-custom cars.

The directives are issued under the (Own Motion Investigation) after getting the reports pertaining to several Non-Custom Paid vehicles operating in the Malakand and suburbs of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). FTO also inquired reports from the Director General of Intelligence and Investigation (DG I&I), Secretary Revenue Division, and Chief Collector of Customs KP.

Moreover, Chief Collector revealed that around 121,193 non-custom vehicles were registered in 2018. However, reports have informed that there are approximately 200,000 to 300,000 NCP vehicles in Malakand and other regions of the province.

No Duty-Free Import of Bullet Proof Cars For Ex-Military Officers

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has denied reports allowing the duty-free import of bulletproof cars. The statement came after some media reports emerged that retired three- and four-star officers of the armed forces will be able to import a bulletproof vehicle without any duty.

The tax collecting body stated: “FBR categorically denies reports appearing in some sections of media that it has issued an SRO allowing taxes and duty-free import of bulletproof vehicles.”

The body added that the federal cabinet allowed such a facility in 2019, but no notification has been issued. Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s aide, Salman Sufi, said there is no question of allowing duty-free imports to any official.

“Everyone shall pay their fair share of duty when importing any vehicle. Please avoid sharing fake news,” he said, adding that dissent is welcome. Disinformation is not.