Customs Command Fund established
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has established 'Customs Command Fund' (CCF) for upfront payment to informers and customs officers for carrying out anti-smuggling operations and apprehending individuals implicated in smuggling.
The FBR has issued an SRO 908(I)/2025 on Tuesday to notify CCF Rules, 2025.
According to the FBR's regulations, 'Customs Command Fund' means the Fund established in the Customs Enforcement Collectorates and office of the Chief Collector of Customs (Enforcement) to reinforce the operational capacity, carry out the mandate, support operations, enhance intelligence gathering, for the Customs personnel deployed for counter smuggling activities. There will be CCF committee in each Customs Collectorate.
FBR chief highlights modernisation of customs
Each CCF Committee may authorise and sanction expenditure for information gathering. However, the amount so disbursed to informers shall not exceed Rs500,000 in a single case.
The amount would also be used for logistic charges. Costs and other incidental expenses incurred pertaining to transportation, storage, disposal and destruction of smuggled goods over and above the allocated annual budget under the respective head of account.
The CCF would also be used for hard area supplies, to fund purchase of supplies, ration, utilities, safety gear and other equipment essential for wellbeing and safety of customs staff deployed for anti-smuggling activities including at choke points, check-posts, mobile squads, field enforcement stations and Digital Enforcement Stations (DES) etc notified by the FBR.
The CCF would also be used for giving special reward, the CCF committee may sanction special reward to the officers and officials of the Enforcement Collectorate duly supported by documentary evidence in cases, wherein, the officer or official has displayed extra-ordinary efforts in tracing, interdiction, seizure of smuggled goods, investigation and prosecution of cases involving such smuggled goods, etc.
In such cases, the reward shall not exceed two years' basic salary, the FBR added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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