20000316

Customs expect over Rs 200m from vehicles amnesty scheme

Saeed Akhtar Baloch

Lahore: The amnesty scheme, announced by the federal government for regularising illegal vehicles, has received an encouraging response in the provincial capital, and so far over 850 vehicles have been regularised.

All smuggled or non-duty paid vehicles, including trucks, cars, buses, tractors, coaches and wagons etc. can be regularised under the scheme. The owners, whose vehicles were seized before the announcement of the scheme, do not qualify for the scheme.

Deputy Collector Customs (Appraisement) Dr. Asif Mehmood Jah told Business Recorder that on March 15 the last date for benefiting from the amnesty scheme, till 3.p.m, the department has been able to collect over Rs 150 million revenue under the scheme. The figure is likely to cross Rs 200 million mark till 10 p.m, he stated.

He said that the number of the regularized vehicles was also expected to cross 1000 mark. Most of the vehicles regularised were Toyota Corolla, ranging from 1982 to 1992 models.

To a question, he said that as the government had already extended the last date twice, there would be no more extension. "Till this time, we have received no instructions from the federal government for extension of the date," he said.

The Deputy Collector said that from today (16th March), the teams of Customs anti-smuggling and intelligence wings, with the assistance of the army monitoring teams, would launch a vigorous drive against illegal vehicles.

Lahore Corps Commander Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool on Wednesday morning also paid a visit to Dry Port Thokkar Niaz Beig and assured the Customs officials of his full cooperation during the anti-vehicle drive.

Dr. Asif Jah said that from today, not only the illegal vehicles will be impounded but also confiscated. Legal action would also be taken against the owners of such vehicles, he added.

It may be mentioned that the federal government expects an estimated revenue of Rs. one billion from across the country under the vehicle amnesty scheme.