ISLAMABAD-To control the smuggling of urea, sugar and wheat flour to Iran and Afghanistan, the federal government has empowered the provincial governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to determine the quantities of these essential commodities for possession in the bordering districts.
The federal cabinet through circulation has approved a summary authorizing the provincial governments to control smuggling of essential commodities in the bordering districts of Iran and Afghanistan and determine the quantity or value of the essential commodities a person can possess in these bordering districts, official source told The Nation here Thursday. Possession of such goods in excess of the notified quantities by the provincial authorities will attract penal action under the law. According to the summary moved to the federal cabinet for approval, the essential commodities are prone to smuggling to Afghanistan via Balochistan. At present, there is huge shortage of essential commodities in the country which is resulting an exponential rise in their prices in the domestic market. The essential commodities like urea, sugar, wheat and wheat flour are being smuggled to Iran and Afghanistan through adjoining bordering districts of KP and Balochistan, especially the districts like Zhob, Qilla Saif Ullah, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Chaman, Noshki and Chaghi. Smugglers hoard the essential commodities in these border districts of these provinces and gradually smuggle them to Afghanistan and Iran. Pakistan customs has no presence in the border areas, whereas anti-smuggling powers have been granted to other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) i.e., FC KP (North/South), FC Balochsitan (North/South), Pakistan Rangers, Pakistan Coast Guard and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency. According to the summary, sub-section (2) of Section-177 of the Customs Act, 1969 empowers the federal government or the provincial governments with the prior approval of the federal government, to impose restrictions on the possession of essential goods as notified by the Federal Board of Revenue.
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It has been, therefore, proposed that the federal government may authorize provincial governments to notify the quantity and/or value of the essential commodities a person can possess in these bordering districts to arrest the trend of smuggling in these areas. Possession of such goods in excess of the notified quantities will attract penal action under the law, except under a permit granted by the issuing authority, summary proposed. The Federal cabinet has approved the summary, said the source.