KARACHI: The Collector of Customs (Enforcement) Moinuddin Wani said the next four raids will be conducted in coordination with trade associations, as part of an effort to rebuild trust with the business community.
If this approach works, it may become standard practice to address complaints about uncoordinated enforcement actions.
Speaking at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Wani said daily intelligence reports require action, but not every lead is accurate. He said the goal is to stop illegal trade in a transparent way, not to harass traders.
A statement issued Saturday said Vice Presidents Ziaul Arfeen and Faisal Khalil Ahmed, and Arif Lakhani of the Customs & Valuation Subcommittee, attended the session. Former presidents and other members were also present.
Wani said smuggling is still a serious issue, especially at borders, and stressed that more control is needed there instead of in-city raids. He said night raids often face resistance and can lead to injury or armed conflict.
To reduce problems, Wani announced that enforcement operations will become more technology-based, using artificial intelligence. Two or three new digital enforcement stations will be set up in Karachi to reduce reliance on human operations.
He also suggested holding monthly meetings with trade bodies to keep communication open and improve operations.
Wani told participants they have the right to file FIRs if any enforcement agency steals or unlawfully seizes goods. In response to concerns about seizures of legally cleared items, he said such cases are rare but efforts will be made to reduce them further.
He also addressed disputes between cities, noting that Lahore officials say smuggled goods come from Karachi, while Karachi traders say they are unfairly targeted. Wani said he does not call anyone a smuggler without proof, but added that under the law, possession of undeclared or illegally imported items is considered smuggling.
Ziaul Arfeen said unannounced and unlawful raids have caused financial and reputational harm to many businesses, especially when done during non-working hours. He called for a return to the earlier system where shop owners were present during raids and asked for a fair and transparent system that protects law-abiding businesses.
Arif Lakhani supported the demand, referring to a recent raid where local goods were wrongly taken. He called for prior coordination with the chamber to avoid false targeting and damage to reputation.
