Karachi, July 21, 2025 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has penalized three customs officials from the Collectorate of Customs Airports, Karachi, for their role in the incorrect examination, assessment, and clearance of consignments containing “New Samsung Galaxy Tablets A7.”
The misconduct resulted in a financial loss of Rs. 9.7 million to the national exchequer, which was later recovered through re-assessment.
The three officials involved—Mr. Fazal Karim (Principal Appraiser, BS-17), Syed Hassan Mehdi (Senior Preventive Officer, BS-17), and Mr. Ali Zaman (Inspector, BS-16)—were all under suspension when disciplinary proceedings were initiated under the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020.
The Directorate of Customs initiated the inquiry based on alleged negligence and inefficiency during assessment procedures that allowed the clearance of Samsung tablets at undervalued rates. Each officer was served with a charge sheet on January 6, 2025, followed by a detailed inquiry conducted by Ms. Nausheen Riaz Khan, Secretary (PCS/BS-19), who submitted her report on March 10, 2025.
The inquiry concluded that while the charge of corruption was not proven against any of the three customs officials, the allegations of inefficiency and misconduct were substantiated. All officers were found to have demonstrated negligence in their duties, which led to revenue leakage and delayed clearance of goods.
The officers were issued show-cause notices and provided the opportunity to defend themselves during personal hearings held on July 10, 2025. They all denied the charges, attributing the misassessment to procedural lapses or reliance on subordinate reports. However, the FBR Member (Administration/HR), acting as the competent authority, reviewed the available records and upheld the findings of the inquiry officer.
As a result, all three customs officials were awarded the minor penalty of “withholding of increment for a period of three years without cumulative effect” under Rule 4(2)(b) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020. Additionally, their performance allowances have been suspended for six months, as per FBR’s Performance Allowance Guidelines, 2015.
The FBR clarified that each officer has the right to appeal the decision under the Civil Servants (Appeals) Rules, 1977, within 30 days of receiving the official notification. Meanwhile, their suspension period from December 9, 2024, to date will be treated as leave under the Revised Leave Rules, 1980, and they are reinstated into government service.
This disciplinary action underscores FBR’s zero-tolerance policy toward inefficiency and its efforts to enhance accountability within customs operations. The move also highlights the growing importance of vigilant oversight over import assessment, particularly in high-value tech items such as Samsung Galaxy Tablets, to prevent revenue losses and uphold integrity in the customs process.