KARACHI: A major investigation by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exposed widespread corruption within Pakistan Customs, leading to strict disciplinary action against multiple officials, according to official notifications issued on Thursday.
In a key development, the FBR awarded a major penalty of compulsory retirement to Tariq Mehmood, a Superintendent Preventive Service (BS-16) posted at the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Karachi. The action followed a detailed departmental inquiry that confirmed charges of misconduct and corruption under the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020.
Proceedings against Mehmood began in July 2023, when he was suspended over allegations of inefficiency and corruption. The inquiry was initially deferred pending related criminal cases, but later resumed following directives from the Sindh High Court to conclude departmental proceedings.
A two-member inquiry committee, reconstituted after an earlier report was deemed unsatisfactory, concluded in December 2025 that the charges were proven. The findings revealed that Mehmood possessed assets far beyond his known income and failed to establish a credible money trail.
Despite earning less than Rs150,000 per month, he was linked to a residential property in DHA Phase IV, Karachi, registered in his spouse’s name. Investigators found the property was allegedly financed through large private loans, raising concerns about possible quid pro quo arrangements.
The inquiry also noted that the property was not declared in his annual asset statements, violating the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964. Authorities described his financial explanations as weak and unconvincing, reinforcing suspicions of undisclosed wealth.
After issuing a show-cause notice and granting a personal hearing in February 2026, the FBR ruled that Mehmood failed to defend himself against the charges. He was compulsorily retired with immediate effect, while his suspension period since July 2023 will be treated as leave under applicable rules. He retains the right to appeal within 30 days.
In a separate but related case, the FBR also ordered compulsory retirement of Yawar Abbas, an Intelligence Officer (BS-16) at the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigations, Karachi, on similar corruption charges.
Abbas had also been suspended since July 2023. Although an initial inquiry recommended his exoneration, the FBR rejected the findings and ordered a fresh investigation. The subsequent probe uncovered evidence of misconduct, particularly regarding the acquisition of a 150-square-yard bungalow in DHA Phase VII, Karachi, allegedly financed through unexplained loans and gifts.
Authorities highlighted that Abbas’s financial profile did not match his declared income and pointed out his failure to disclose the property in asset declarations between 2013 and 2022.
Following due process, including a show-cause notice and personal hearing, the FBR concluded that the allegations were substantiated. Abbas was also compulsorily retired, with his suspension period treated as leave, and granted the right to appeal within 30 days.
These back-to-back actions reflect the FBR’s intensified crackdown on corruption within Pakistan Customs, signaling a stricter enforcement regime and zero tolerance for officials accumulating assets beyond declared sources of income.
