THE higher authorities have conveyed an unambiguous message to officials concerned that there would be no leniency for smuggling and those involved or aiding/abetting the illegal activities would face the music. Addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said any personnel of security forces found involved in cross-border smuggling would be court-martialed. He went on to say that Army Chief General Asim Munir has plainly told his people that apart from court martial, those involved in such activities would be sent to jail as well.
The revelation of the Federal Minister is yet another proof of the sincere resolve of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) to provide meaningful cooperation to the government in curbing illegal activities like smuggling of goods and foreign currency. The remarks also mean there is growing realization among the policy and decision-makers that the ongoing crackdown against smuggling and hoarding would not succeed without holding the officials concerned accountable. It is a realistic thinking that smuggling could not take place without active connivance of the personnel of the relevant agencies and departments. The resource-starved country spent huge amounts on the border management plans in the hope that its completion would help address the chronic problem of illegal cross-border movement and rampant smuggling but on the face of it such expectations have not materialized mainly because the agencies concerned were not performing their duties and responsibilities honestly and diligently. The Interior Minister has a point when he says the army’s accountability mechanism is not made public and that’s why it was not in the knowledge of masses. However, the resolve of the Army Chief to activate the internal accountability mechanism augurs well and hopefully its results would be visible soon in terms of curbing smuggling with salutary impact on the national economy. There should be zero tolerance for smuggling of goods, petroleum products and dollars and in case officials deputed to curb these activities prefer keeping their eyes close for personal gains then they should be treated as partners in crime.
