ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): ACT Alliance Pakistan has paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Pakistan Customs officials who have lost their lives in the line of duty while protecting the country’s economic frontiers.
Speaking to a group of economic beat reporters from leading online journals here Saturday, Country Director of ACT Alliance Pakistan, Mubashir Akram said that the men and women of Pakistan Customs and other enforcement agencies stand at the very first line of Pakistan’s economic security.
“These brave officers are not just performing routine duties,” Akram said. “They are defending Pakistan’s economy against organized criminal networks that thrive on illegal trade, smuggling, and tax evasion. When a customs officer is martyred in an anti-smuggling operation, it is not just a departmental loss; it is a national loss that must be recognized with honor and gratitude.”
Akram expressed deep concern over the increasing threats faced by field officials engaged in anti-smuggling operations, particularly those working to curb illegal trade in beverages, cigarettes, tea, and electronics.
He said that the smuggling and sale of untaxed goods in these sectors have become a grave national issue.
“Those involved in smuggling are not merely violating trade laws; they are undermining Pakistan’s sovereignty and sabotaging its economic future,” he said. “Such acts are not petty crimes but deliberate assaults on the rule of law and the state’s financial integrity.”
Citing a 2023 study by the Pakistan Business Council, Akram noted that Pakistan loses over Rs. 19,000 billion each year due to illicit trade, tax evasion, and smuggling across various sectors.
He said this staggering loss reflects a deeply rooted challenge that demands immediate and uncompromising state action.
“How can any country achieve economic recovery or attract investment when trillions of rupees vanish every year into the pockets of those who defy the law?” he asked. “We must treat this as an economic emergency.”
Akram concluded by reaffirming ACT Alliance Pakistan’s support for all state institutions engaged in protecting the economy from illegal trade and tax evasion.
He said that Pakistan’s progress and prosperity depend on ending the parallel economy and ensuring that every rupee earned, traded, and taxed serves the nation and its people.
Customs officials at Pakistan’s fore front of economic defense; ACT Alliance
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