ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has formally designated a 11.75-acre site at Taftan Railway Station as a Land Customs Station, marking a step toward improving trade operations along the Pakistan-Iran border.
With the new designation under the Customs Act, 1969, the facility is authorized to handle the loading, unloading, and customs clearance of imported and exported goods. Officials expect the measure to simplify border procedures and support smoother commercial activity through the Taftan crossing.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Customs’ Enforcement Collectorate in Hyderabad reported significant progress in its campaign against smuggling during the past week. Authorities seized 21 vehicles suspected of being non-duty-paid, with an estimated combined value of about Rs61 million, after those in possession failed to provide the required customs documentation.
Enforcement teams also confiscated multiple consignments of smuggled merchandise valued at more than Rs10 million. The recovered items included electronic products, prohibited Indian-origin gutka, industrial materials, and textile goods. In addition, customs officials seized approximately 15,000 litres of high-speed diesel along with smuggled petrol, with the petroleum products collectively estimated to be worth nearly Rs5.9 million.
Officials said legal action has been initiated in the relevant cases and investigations are continuing to identify any wider smuggling networks connected to the seizures.
Separately, the FBR has announced extended operations for its field offices through June 30 as it works to facilitate taxpayers and achieve fiscal year-end revenue objectives. Large, Medium, Corporate, and Regional Tax Offices will remain open over the weekend under normal schedules, while operating until 8:00 p.m. on June 29 and until midnight on June 30 to process tax-related matters before the close of the financial year.
