ISLAMABAD: The government has authorized customs officials to use firearms in the line of duty to prevent smuggling and other illegal activities.
In this regard a new sub-section 3 has been inserted to Customs Act, 1969 through Tax Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2019.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday issued ‘Tax Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2019’ have been promulgated through the presidential order.
The new sub-section shall be read as follow:
“(3) For the execution of the above, the officers or officials shall be empowered to use all necessary force including use of firearms subject to Section 97 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 in the line of duty.”
Under Section 164 of the Customs Act, 1969, the customs officials were empowered to stop and search conveyances.
The Section 164 is read as:
164. Power to stop and search conveyances.- (1) Where the appropriate officer has reason to believe that within the territories of Pakistan(including territorial waters) any conveyance has been, is being or is about to be, used in the smuggling of any goods or in the carriage of any smuggled goods, he may at any time stop any such conveyance or, in the case of an aircraft, compel it to land, and –
(a) rummage and search any part of the conveyance;
(b) examine and search any goods thereon; and
(c) break open the lock of any door, fixture or package for making search.
(2) Where in the circumstances referred to in sub-section (1)-
(a) it becomes necessary to stop any vessel or compel any aircraft to land, it shall be lawful of any vessel or aircraft in the service of the Government while flying her proper flag or bearing flag marks and any authority authorized in this behalf by the Federal Government to summon such vessel to stop or the aircraft to land, by means of an international signal, code or other recognized means, and thereupon such vessel shall forthwith stop or such aircraft shall forthwith land, and if it fails to do so chase may be given thereto by any vessel or aircraft as aforesaid and if after a gun is fired as a signal, the vessel fails to stop or the aircraft fails to land, it may be fired upon;
(b) it becomes necessary to stop any conveyance other than a vessel or aircraft, the appropriate officer may use or cause to be used all lawful means for stopping it or preventing its escape including, if all other means fail, firing upon it.
The new sub-section shall be included:
“(3) For the execution of the above, the officers or officials shall be empowered to use all necessary force including use of firearms subject to Section 97 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 in the line of duty.”
