The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control convened under Senator Saifullah Abro to examine the theft of 2,828 cartons of confiscated cigarettes from FBR godowns in Swabi and Mardan. Senators Muhammad Talha Mahmood and Umer Farooq also attended the session.
The Committee expressed strong displeasure over the absence of the Chairman FBR and emphasized that his presence at the next meeting is mandatory to ensure a timely resolution of the case.
During the session, members were informed that the consignment had been seized in 2024 and that three lower-tier officials a chowkidar, a Naib Qasid, and a driver were dismissed following an internal inquiry. However, concerns were raised about anomalies in the inquiry report, particularly how lower-grade staff could have executed the theft despite seals, locks, and ceilings being found intact.
The Committee also highlighted that the exact date of the theft remains unknown and questioned why higher-grade officers had not been held accountable. Members criticized the submission of incomplete working papers and noted that critical records, including CCTV footage, stock registers, and the internal inquiry report, were not provided to the FIA investigation team despite repeated requests.
Concerns were further raised regarding the transfer of the confiscated consignment from a CCTV-monitored godown to a facility without surveillance. The Convenor directed the FBR to provide complete documentation on the transfer and the internal inquiry proceedings.
While acknowledging that FBR has strengthened security mechanisms and introduced SOPs, the Committee demanded detailed records of similar incidents dating back to 2012. The stocktaking officers who first discovered the theft have been asked to appear in the next meeting.
The Sub-Committee appreciated the FIA’s investigative efforts and urged full cooperation from the FBR. Senator Abro stressed that negligence or concealment would not be tolerated, and accountability must extend to officers whose assets appear questionable.
The Chairman FBR, along with the Secretary of the Law Division and relevant officials, has been directed to attend the next session.
