Customs curtails Superintendents’ powers amid complaints of misuse of authority
Customs has revised ASO supervision, placing squads under Assistant and Deputy Collectors amid complaints of unauthorised checking and extortion, with the Chief Collector backing accountability.
ISLAMABAD:The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has restructured the supervisory arrangements of Anti-Smuggling Organisations (ASOs), curtailing the independent supervisory powers of Superintendents and Senior Preventive Officers and placing operational squads under the direct control of Assistant and Deputy Collectors amid recurring complaints of unauthorised checking and extortion.
According to an official directive issued by the Office of the Chief Collector of Customs Enforcement on November 13, the revised arrangements will take immediate effect across Customs Enforcement formations.
Under the new structure, each ASO will be headed by an Assistant or Deputy Collector designated by the respective Collector, who will be responsible for its operations and conduct.
Inspectors and Preventive Officers will lead operational squads as squad in-charges and report directly to the designated Assistant or Deputy Collector without any intermediate supervisory tier.
The directive further requires all deployments, roadside checkpoints and nakabandis to be approved by the concerned Assistant or Deputy Collector. Every detention and seizure must also be reported to the supervising officer without delay.
The department has cited recurring complaints from transporters and bus terminals regarding unauthorised checking and extortion, stating that such practices have badly tarnished the image of Customs.
The revised arrangement significantly changes the traditional supervisory role of Superintendents and Senior Preventive Officers. Their experience will now primarily be utilised in legal and prosecution support, adjudication, case preparation and auction-related matters.
However, Superintendents and Senior Preventive Officers may still be deployed in anti-smuggling operations when necessary, but only as squad in-charges under the direct supervision of the concerned Assistant or Deputy Collector. They will no longer exercise independent supervisory authority over operational squads.
The Chief Collector of Customs (Enforcement), when asked whether the restructuring would lead to greater accountability and transparency in anti-smuggling operations, responded in the affirmative.
The directive has been circulated to 10 Collectors of Customs Enforcement, including the Collector of Customs Enforcement Lahore, Jamshaid Ali Talpur.
All concerned Collectors have been instructed to implement the revised arrangements in letter and spirit and submit compliance reports within seven days, detailing the administrative changes and revised strategies adopted for anti-smuggling operations.
The instructions were issued with the approval of the Chief Collector of Customs (Enforcement).
