Amraiz Khan
Lahore
Right under the nose of Collector Customs Preventive, valuables worth more than Rs 120 millions have gone missing from the department’s store. Customs authorities have got a case registered against store Incharge Inspector Khalid Pervez Bhutta and a retired Superintendent Yousaf Khan with police station concerned instead of referring the case to FIA an appropriate forum. Sources in the Customs department said that senior officers were trying to hush up the issue due to which the case was not referred to FIA to dig out the truth behind the story.
When this scribe contacted an FIA Deputy Director (Legal) to know the ambit of the provincial police to investigate such cases he said, It is authority of FIA to take up such cases under section 5(2) of Provincial Corruption (PC) Act 1947. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) police Qaiser on contact said the matter will ultimately be referred to FIA to look into. To a question that have police made any arrest so far in the case?, he expressed his ignorance.
As per details Customs State Warehouse, Valuables is situated at 3rd floor of the Customs House Nabha Road Lahore where valuables like foreign currency, gold and narcotics seized under Customs Act 1969 are kept. Current Incharge of the Warehouse inspector Khalid Pervez Bhutta took charge of the warehouse on June 30, 2019 from Yousaf Khan who has been retired from his service. On July since FBR separated the Model Collectorate Customs (MCC) Allama Iqbal International Airport (AIIAP) from MCC Preventive. After separation officer of MCC Preventive decided to hand over the valuables of MCC AIIAP lying in State Warehouse to authorities concerned.
The officer further decided to deposit the rest of the valuables in State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Mint. For this purpose a committee was constituted comprising on Superintendent Shahid Naseem Joiya, Inspector Rashid Hafeez and inspector Khalid Pervez. But the committee members wanted to examine the valuables they found nothing in the warehouse.
When Customs officers asked Kahlid Bhutta about the valuables he could not give any satisfactory response to his seniors. As per FIR Customs officers summoned the retired officer Superintendent Yousaf Khan and Khalid Bhuta but both could not explain their positions. Local police have registered a case against both under section 409 of PPC with no arrest.
