The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched action against several of its officers for their alleged involvement in the illegal regularization of smuggled vehicles, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

🚨 Key Details

An internal inquiry revealed that certain officers had facilitated the clearance and registration of non-duty paid / smuggled vehicles.
FBR has suspended multiple officers and initiated disciplinary proceedings under the relevant civil service rules.
Cases are also being referred to FIA and NAB for further investigation of corruption and collusion with smugglers.

🚗 Background

The issue of smuggled vehicles, particularly from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been a longstanding challenge.
These vehicles often enter Pakistan from Afghanistan and Iran and are later regularized through fake or manipulated documents.
The losses to the national exchequer from such practices run into billions of rupees annually.

⚖️ Next Steps

FBR has ordered a complete audit of all recent vehicle regularizations.
Any officer found guilty will face dismissal from service and possible prosecution.
The government has also decided to strengthen customs border enforcement to curb the influx of smuggled vehicles.