SIALKOT
A special raiding team of customs officials has seized two containers, carrying heavy machinery and scarp on the charges of being cleared after paying less duty with connivance of officials.
The Sialkot Dry Port and Customs Intelligence had sought permission from provincial director intelligence Lahore to take a stern legal action against the accused owners and customs clearing agents in this regard.
Senior customs officials told newsmen that on a tip-off, the special team conducted special checking near Sialkot Dry Port and seized the two big sized containers carrying the valued machinery and scarp. They declared the scrap in container was cleared by paying less duty against the fixed official rates. In the second container, the number of machinery was showed very less against the actual machinery.
They narrated that the less payment of taxes on scarp and machinery through this way was continued for the last 10 years by the clearing agents, with the alleged malpractice of officials. Meanwhile, taking very serious notice of the nasty practice, Collector Customs Mehboob Saqib confirmed the seizing of the above-mentioned containers and told the newsmen that officials involved in this scam have been transferred and posted from Sialkot Dry Port Trust to Sialkot International Airport with immediate effect.
Dilapidated school building poses risk: The students of Govt Boys & Girls School Nawaadey Malhiyaan, Pasrur tehsil, were getting education while sitting on the ground in the open as building of this school had already been declared dangerous.
Meanwhile, no arrangements were made by the officials concerned of the Education Department to shift this school to another safer place. There are 35 students enrolled in the school for whom four female teachers including an headmistress and a male teacher have been deputed.
Headmistress Ms Tahira Bajwa told the newsmen that they had repeatedly brought this situation in the notice to the senior officials of the Education Department but no action could be taken yet.