Customs corruption report names 31 officials in Pakistan, Rs63.57 million mobile phone case highlighted

A government report submitted to Pakistan’s Senate has detailed disciplinary cases involving 31 Customs officials and employees over alleged corruption smuggling misconduct and irregularities in the handling of goods at airports and other Customs operations.

A government report submitted to Pakistan’s Senate has detailed disciplinary cases involving 31 Customs officials and employees over alleged corruption smuggling misconduct and irregularities in the handling of goods at airports and other Customs operations.

The information was shared by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in response to a question from Senator Shahadat Awan about investigations into alleged corruption among Customs personnel posted at international airports over the past three years.

According to the report, the cases have resulted in different outcomes including dismissals, compulsory retirements, pay penalties and exonerations. Several inquiries remain pending while allegations against some officials were not established.

One of the major cases concerned the alleged smuggling of 229 mobile phones valued at Rs63.569 million through Sialkot Airport. Customs Inspector Muhammad Chan Zeb was found involved, arrested and named in a criminal case registered in 2023. The department subsequently withheld one annual increment for a year as a disciplinary penalty.

At Faisalabad Airport, Inspector Muhammad Abdullah was accused of facilitating the movement of expensive electronic goods without proper Customs checks. The report said phone data indicated contact with suspected accomplices. He was compulsorily retired in November 2025.

Another case involved Inspector Faizan Ahmed who was found responsible for the replacement of seven original mobile phones with counterfeit devices. Following an appellate tribunal’s order in June 2026, his earlier punishment was reduced to a three-stage pay reduction for two years, alongside the suspension of his performance allowance until his full pay was restored.

At Lahore Airport, Superintendent Muhammad Asif Nawaz was dismissed over a bribery case involving the baggage section. Preventive Officer Syed Arshad Ali was also removed after a passenger complained of intimidation and improper handling of a currency declaration involving British coins worth £180.

At Islamabad International Airport Inspector Muhammad Ans Butt faced allegations from a Chinese passenger concerning a demand for a Rs1 million tax deposit before the final assessment of goods. A personal hearing was scheduled for September 2026 according to the report.

The document also covered a case involving alleged tax and duty evasion of Rs9.7 million. Although corruption charges were not established against the three officers involved they received penalties for withholding annual increments.

Other cases concerned property-related revenue losses, improperly cleared shipments alleged assistance in smuggling electronics and failures to follow cargo documentation procedures. Some officials were cleared while others received reduced penalties on appeal.

The report further identified several officials facing fresh inquiries in 2026 with final findings still pending in those cases.