ISLAMABAD : Staff Reporter – The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, convened by Senator Saifullah Abro, met at Parliament House, Islamabad, under its mandated agenda to scrutinize border security mechanisms, examine smuggling networks, evaluate anti-narcotics controls, review seized assets and godown inventories across the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Customs, and investigate massive tax evasion, including an estimated USD 1 billion attributed to the tobacco sector.
The Committee strongly condemned the unauthentic news coverage, media bashing, and character assassination targeted at its respectable members following its previous meeting held on July 20, 2026.
The Convener noted that after the previous meeting discussed the seizure of 11 loaded trucks on the motorway, an official press release and handout were issued the very next day across various TV channels and media platforms targeting the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control and other Committee members.
Taking stern notice, the Committee directed the Member FBR to personally review the handout issued by his media wing and identify the officials responsible for orchestrating this malicious campaign against Senate members.
Furthermore, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been directed to conduct a completely impartial, full-scale inquiry into the TV channel’s running targeted smear campaigns and submit a detailed report to the Committee.
Addressing the specific seizure of 11 trucks, the Committee raised serious questions over jurisdiction, pointing out that motorway operations fall outside the direct jurisdiction of Customs and are primarily the domain of Inland Revenue.
The Committee expressed grave alarm over contradictory valuation figures amounting to an astounding Rs. 22 crore, and it demanded that the owners of the concerned transport and steel company present a full report by this evening 03 Aug 2026.
Additionally, the Committee questioned the legal basis of the FIR registered by Customs authorities, noting that 11 truck drivers were arrested and produced before the court after a six-day delay, prompting the Committee to summon the inspector responsible for drafting the flawed FIR to appear in person.
The Committee also directed the Deputy Collector Customs to explain why political figures mentioned during the site presence were deliberately omitted from official reporting, while the Inspector General of Motorway Police clarified that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exists between the Motorway Police and Customs solely to provide operational assistance in stopping suspicious vehicles.
The Sub-Committee voiced severe concern over the operational integrity of the issuance of Consumption Certificates, expressing shock that manual certificates are still being issued despite official digital policies.
The Convener questioned the Chief Collector on whether physical site visits are conducted prior to issuing certificates, revealing that teams do not regularly perform physical verification visits and rely heavily on discretionary powers.
Furthermore, the Committee declared the details and accountings provided regarding Rs. 1,120 billion imports in tax-exempted areas completely unsatisfactory and incomplete, ordering a comprehensive breakdown of product sales within local markets in response to the 2025–26 Quota Registration details presented.
The Senate Sub-Committee reaffirmed its commitment to unearthing malpractices, systemic leaks, and corruption across customs posts, dry ports, and revenue bodies, instructing the FIA and relevant authorities to finalize their impartial inquiries and submit complete investigative reports at the earliest.
The meeting was attended by Senators Muhammad Talha Mehmood, Umer Farooq, and Dilawar Khan, as well as Member Admin FBR, Chief Commissioner, IG Motorway Police, and senior officials from the FIA, and Customs.
