Senate Questions FBR Over Rs250 Million Cigarette Case

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has voiced strong concerns over the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) handling of the alleged disappearance of cigarettes valued at approximately Rs250 million from FBR warehouses located in Swabi and Mardan.

During the committee meeting, FBR officials maintained that officers could not be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) until legal proceedings had been completed. They further stated that investigative agencies were required to obtain prior departmental approval before initiating inquiries against FBR officials.

Committee members strongly disagreed with this position, arguing that accountability and law enforcement agencies should be permitted to conduct investigations independently without unnecessary administrative restrictions.

Lawmakers also criticised the findings of the FBR’s internal inquiry, which reportedly placed responsibility on a watchman, a peon, and a driver despite there being no evidence of forced entry into the warehouses where the cigarettes had been stored.

The committee chairman informed members that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had, during its investigation, identified a deputy collector, two additional officials, and two inspectors as individuals allegedly connected to the incident.

FIA representatives briefed the committee that the investigation remains ongoing and that the case has since been transferred to the Islamabad Zone for further inquiry.

Responding to questions from lawmakers, FBR officials stated that they were unable to confirm whether the committee’s earlier recommendation to place the suspected individuals on the ECL had been implemented, explaining that the matter now fell within the jurisdiction of the FIA.

FIA officials informed the committee that they would verify the current status of the recommendation as part of the ongoing investigation.