Amnesty schemes make Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s blood boil,

ISLAMABAD  –The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Monday observed that amnesty schemes introduced by the government for those dealing in black economy goods (whether money or other items) to regularize them without any questions, had failed its primary purpose and has only contributed to the destruction of the country in an organized way.

The apex court judge expressed the comments while hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Customs against a tampered vehicle. He said every department had announced one-time amnesty for 100 times, saying launching of such schemes exposed the inability of curb the smuggling of vehicles.

“We have to summon data from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) about vehicles cleared under the amnesty schemes,” he said while expressing shock at the smuggling of vehicles.

“It’s easy to understand the smuggling of gold and silver but it’s beyond imagination how vehicles are being smuggled in the country,” Justice Isa observed.

A large number of vehicles with unauthorised number plates could be seen across Islamabad but no one, including Customs and police, took action against them, he said. He remarked that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not only face challan but he had to apologise for not wearing the seatbelt in a car, adding that the situation in Pakistan was the other way round.

Justice Isa said Customs officials started impounding the vehicles when these ply on roads but did not explain how they entered Pakistan.

During the hearing, Justice Yahya Afridi remarked Customs should receive duty and taxes to end the case of the vehicle. Later, the court rejected a Customs appeal to impound the vehicle with fake number plate.

The Customs impounded a 1998 model Hino truck in 2018. The appellate tribunal decided the case against the department which later moved the top court against it.