ISLAMABAD : Oct 2 : Interior minister , Sarfraz Bugti , on Monday said the army chief , Syed Asim Munir , has given a clear directions that “His people” involved in cross border smuggling will be court martialed and sent to jail. He made this very unusual rather stunning statement at a press conference along with Information minister , Murtaza Solangi .
Interior minister said the army chief has a very clear message for “His people” posted at the borders to check cross border smuggling that if any of his men found involved in this unlawful activity he will not only be court martialed but also put in the jail. Pakistan is facing unbearable level of smuggling for years which has literally brought it’s economy to the knees .
Rising level of cross border smuggling raises serious questions about the level of honestly of the agencies assigned the task to stop cross border smuggling . Unfortunately , around one dozen agencies have colluded with the smugglers for financial gains rather than looking after the national interests. It’s not a secret in Pakistan and even beyond that the agencies’ personnel posted at borders get due share to permit cross border smuggling of everything from Pakistan.
Afghanistan is an attractive market for smuggling from Pakistan. The smugglers act like a syndicate to smuggle sugar , urea , medicines etc from Pakistan into Afghanistan. Practically its not possible to smuggle anything from Pakistan unless the agencies people posted at the border crossing points become party to this unlawful activity. Similarly , Iranian oil makes entry into Pakistan. Through Tuftan crossing point and it too involves agencies .
The size of Iranian oil.smuggled into Pakistan is around $ 1 billion and its not practically possible that the lorries carrying Iranian oil enter into Pakistan from Iran and those remains illusive from the agencies appointed at Uran-Pakistan border to check smuggling of oil and other items from Iran into Pakistan.
In the past the army leadership never spoken on the role of agencies people in cross border smuggling. It’s undeniable fact that the agencies people preferred to get postings at entry points with Iran and Afghanistan to make money.
“Every agency and other officials like district administration and Customs officials get fixed share on each lorry at check posts and they allow crossing of loaded lorries after getting their fixed extortion from vehicles staff “, said Mr Nawaz ,an Islamabad -based miner who faces the same mafia posted at the check post while trucking coal and other natural resources mined from Balochistan for transporting to other areas of Pakistan. Mr Nawaz claims that the staff posted at each check post gets 50 thousand per truck.
The Interior minister in response to a question said Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo , Mian Nawaz Sharif ‘s return to Pakistan was encouraging . He said his statement on treatment with Nawaz Sharif was misquoted in the media. The minister said he had told to the questioner at a presser that Nawaz Sharif will be treated as per law on his return. Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to come to Pakistan on Oct 21 after four years self -exile.
