37-billion-rupee Pak NATO containers scam report to be out in one month

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Supreme Court has given one-month’s time to the Federal Board of Revenue for furnishing a final report in the NATO containers corruption case, which caused a whopping 37-billion-rupee loss to the national exchequer.

A three-member apex court bench has been hearing a suo motu case initiated on a news report about smuggling in the containers meant for carrying ammunition, food and other necessities for NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan, the Daily Times reports.

During the course of the proceedings, FBR Chairman Salman Siddique told the court that a recovery of 70 billion rupees could be expected in the scam.

He said that Afghan authorities were cooperating with the FBR in the investigation that, he added, was being carried out in a transparent manner. He also informed the court that all electronic data pertaining to the case had been collected, but the FBR required some time for its examination.

To a court query, he said that the Afghan government was also conducting a separate investigation in this regard.

The court directed the FBR to prepare its final report keeping in view all aspects of the case, adding that it would hear cases against every individual found involved in the case after receiving the report.

It is noteworthy that the FBR has already suspended 22 custom officials for their alleged involvement in the scam. These officials had failed to prevent the wrong clearance of 52 containers laden with liquor under the cover of ISAF shipment. (ANI)