The smuggling have always been the biggest threat as it causes some heavy damage to the national exchequer. Beside some usual or regular policies the authorities should take a compact action against this menace, which have caused a loss of around $2.63 billion to the national exchequer, a highly confidential report revealed.
The report which was commissioned by the FBR last year in subject to examine the smuggling and its potholes in Pakistan, was later kept highly confidential. Although, this report arises several question as it has been doing heavy damage to the national economy.
Earlier, many of the reports have been filed, intending to unveil the hidden truths of smuggling but this one pulled off by Tariq Huda, the Collector of Customs Preventive, Karachi seems to be the most dense report till the date.
This report titled ‘Ascertain the Market Demand of Goods Prone to Smuggling’ was completed in May last year but was kept highly confidential.
The report also suggest the conclusion asking for the enforcement as the most reliable policy option that should be opted by the Pakistan Customs to eradicate this jeopardy.
The report reveals 11 of the goods which are eye-candy of the smugglers and are causing the biggest harm to the national profit. The report tells that these 11 goods worth at $9.1 billion are smuggled and cause staggering lose of $2.63 billion. As the report tells that the revenue loss in the form of duties and smuggled goods of these 11 goods caused such a heft damage.
Mobile phones were the most smuggled goods , which alone caused $1.1 billion loss out of the total of $2.63 billion loss. The other shocking revelation about the mobile phones smuggling is that they fill around 59% demand of the market.
The reason cellphones might be on the top of the list is that they are pocket-sized and expensive and can be easily transported from one place to another without any tiresome effort.
Such a huge amount of smuggle of goods also gestures about the officials involvement in this work. Although, so far no organized action to deal with it is structured.
An incident which happened in November last year rose several objections on the blacksheeps in departments as in this incident a PIA staffer was intending to smuggle 1,264 mobile phones worth Rs 8-9 crore was caught at the Jinnah International Airport. It was called the largest contraband consignment of cellphones in Pakistan’s history.
Top 11 Smuggling Goods: Loss
- Mobile Phones: $1.1 billion Loss
- Diesel: $874 million Loss
- Plastic: $222 million Loss
- Auto Parts:$186 million Loss
- Vehicles: $175 million Loss
- Tyres: $118.5 million Loss
- Steel Sheets: $112.6 million Loss
- Tea: $77 million Loss
- Cigarette: $27 million Loss
- Television: $9 million Loss
- Garment: $2.5 million Loss
