Rs250m cigarette stock vanishes from FBR warehouses, no arrest, no recovery

According to a special investigative report shared with Minute Mirror by the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) Global-Pakistan Chapter, as many as 2,828 cartons of confiscated

ISLAMABAD: A major investigation into the disappearance of thousands of cartons of confiscated cigarettes from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) warehouses has raised serious questions over inventory controls, supervisory oversight and the pace of official action, with no recovery or arrests reported nearly 19 months after the stock first went missing.

According to a special investigative report shared with Minute Mirror by the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) Global-Pakistan Chapter, as many as 2,828 cartons of confiscated cigarettes, collectively valued at around Rs250 million, are allegedly unaccounted for in a case that has also come under scrutiny before a Senate sub-committee.

The report, based on documents and proceedings cited by CIJ Global, traces the matter to February 14, 2024, when FBR Inspector Kamran reportedly seized 1,262 cartons of Kissan-brand cigarettes allegedly smuggled into the Chota Lahore area of Swabi. Six vehicles were intercepted during the operation, and the seized cigarettes were declared state property.

The investigation then focuses on the movement of the confiscated stock between FBR storage facilities. On April 22, 2024, around 1,202 cartons were reportedly transferred from the Shahbaz Ghari warehouse in Mardan to the Qasim Pulla facility in Swabi. The transfer, according to the report, was carried out without written authorisation, a proper logbook entry or a clearly designated officer responsible for custody.

On the same day, 908 cartons were reportedly found missing. A further development occurred on May 2, 2024, when 907 cartons were shown as having been recovered from Doulatabad Mankai. However, the report says that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) subsequently found no corresponding entry for the recovered stock in the official inventory register.

An audit conducted later reportedly confirmed that 2,828 cartons were unaccounted for by May 7, 2025, significantly expanding the scale of the discrepancy beyond the stock initially reported missing.

The documentary trail cited in the investigation includes seizure documents, truck-loading slips and handwritten transfer notes. The report also raises questions about the absence of a properly maintained official stock register and warehouse logbook.

During proceedings before a Senate sub-committee, FBR officials reportedly attributed the transfer of the cigarettes to storage constraints. The committee, however, questioned the explanation and examined why confiscated goods had allegedly been moved from a warehouse equipped with CCTV surveillance to another facility without comparable surveillance.

The absence of CCTV evidence has emerged as another major issue. According to the report, surveillance existed at Shahbaz Ghari, but footage relating to the movement of the seized stock was not produced. Qasim Pulla, meanwhile, reportedly lacked CCTV coverage, leaving a significant evidentiary gap in tracing the movement and custody of the cigarettes.

The alleged disappearance represents a potential direct loss of approximately Rs250 million in confiscated stock, apart from any customs duties and taxes that may have been evaded. Investigators have also examined the possibility that the cigarettes could have re-entered the market, potentially creating additional losses to the national exchequer.

The FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle subsequently registered a case under Sections 409 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR, lodged at Swabi on May 21, 2025, reportedly named five FBR officials — Kamran, Naveed, Intasab Hussain, Qazi Amjad and Sajjad Ali — along with three private individuals associated with Paramount Tobacco Company, identified as Saqib Ali Khan, Fida Hussain and Awais Qureshi.

Despite registration of the FIR, the investigation report states that no arrests or recovery of the missing cigarette stock had been reported at the time of its publication. It also raises questions about whether any assets belonging to the suspects had been frozen.

The role of senior officials has also come under scrutiny. The FIA’s initial inquiry reportedly mentioned Deputy Collector Faheem Rashid, while the responsibilities of Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Collectors involved in supervising the warehouses remain under examination.

The report further states that no departmental charge sheet had been issued against supervisory officers. FBR officials reportedly cited the pending consideration of the matter by the Board as one reason for the delay, while the Senate sub-committee questioned whether such procedural steps were contributing to unnecessary delays in determining responsibility.

The matter was taken up by the Senate Standing Committee for Interior through its Sub-Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro. During the proceedings, the committee reportedly expressed concern over delays in the investigation, shortcomings in the custody system and attempts to focus responsibility on lower-ranking employees, including a driver, guard and naib qasid, instead of examining the supervisory chain.

The committee directed steps including criminal proceedings through the FIA, consideration of placing suspects on the Exit Control List, geo-fencing and examination of their assets as part of the investigation.

The case has also exposed broader weaknesses in the handling of confiscated goods. The investigative report identifies the absence of dual custody arrangements, digital inventory tracking, comprehensive CCTV preservation, independent warehouse audits and stronger mechanisms for monitoring the movement of seized goods as key vulnerabilities.

Questions have also been raised over whether weaknesses in the custody chain could allow confiscated cigarettes to be diverted back into commercial circulation. However, any allegation of criminal involvement remains subject to investigation and judicial determination.

The case remains registered at the FIR stage, with the fate of the missing 2,828 cartons still unresolved and questions surrounding supervisory responsibility yet to be conclusively settled.

CIJ Global-Pakistan Chapter says it has sought written responses from the FBR, FIA and Paramount Tobacco Company under the right-to-reply principle. The allegations and findings cited in the investigation are based on documents, Senate proceedings and FIA-related briefings, while final responsibility can only be determined through the competent legal and judicial process.