MULTAN,4th Oct : Senior Lawyers Malik Naeem Iqbal and Malik Javed Channer have alleged that collectorate of customs Multan was reluctant to provide a copy of an FIR lodged against two women on the charge of making an attempt to smuggle 14 kgs of Gold to Dubai.Talking to media men here today they said that investigation team of customs was harassing the women to get the statements of their choice to strengthen their fragile case. They said that it was a basic right of an accused and their counsel to get acopyof charges levelled by any agency either by FIA or Customs intelligence or Police. They asked how could two ladies cross the walk-through-gate and metal detector did not notice the presence of Gold in theircustody. They said that customs authorities were trying to save their black sheep who were involved in patronising and providing shelter to unauthorised exports and imports. They said that collector Custons Multan Dr.Sarfraz Waraich flately refused to provide a copy of an FIR lodged against two women. It was recalled that Collector Customs Multan Dr.Sarfraz Waraich said in the presence of additional Collector Ghulam Mustafa, Deputy Collector Abdul Mueed Kanju,and Assistant Collector Faizan Badar that the Customs staff posted at Multan airport has foiled an attempt to smuggle a huge quantity of gold and foreign currency worth Rs 64 million at Multan International Airport.Two female passengers who were wearing gold bangles and anklets in traditional dresses. Both passengers were going to Dubai by flight no FZ-340 of Fly-dubai.The staff found two female passengers, identified as Haleema Riaz wife of Muhammad Riaz, a resident of Shadbagh Lahore, and Sumaira Asif Siddiqui, wife of Asif Siddiqui, a resident of Pak Gate Multan, having unusual behavior. The Customs have taken out comprehensive examination of their luggage of said passengers along with others in order to prevent smuggling.The Customs staff found these passengers were wearing heavy jewellery in their arms gold bangles and anklets covered by their traditional dresses. Customs took wear off gold bangles and anklets from passengers and took into custody.Moreover, he told that passengers had crossed the currency declaring counter established by customs department without voluntary declaration and later they were intercepted at the customs examination counter for complete examination when they passed ASF checking, scanning and screening counters.He said that they were repeatedly asked to declare whether they were carrying any contraband goods like gold, currency, etc prior to examination of their baggage but both of them replied in negative.Customs team recovered 42 gold bangles and anklets of 14 kilograms from passenger and foreign currency of 37000 Saudi riyal and 1000 UAE Dirham during their checking at the Multan International Airport. The ages of both females were around 40 to 50 years.Customs have started investigation about the link between both female passengers which were making smuggling attempt at the Multan International Airport and they were working as gang at the time of smuggling because both of them are familiar with each other. Collector expressed that these two arrested women’s may work for any network which involved in the gold smuggling in the country.The Special Federal Court of Customs Taxation and Anti Smuggling has handed over two women to the customs investigation Multan for physical remand of six days.Sources told that the two women were arrested by the customs authorities of Multan when they recovered a huge amount of foreign and local currency and gold in heavy quantity. The ladies, identified as Haleman Bibi and Samera, were traveling abroad from Multan airport. On their suspected activities, the customs staff checked luggage belonged to them and found currency and gold that they were trying to smuggle.Customs found Saudi riyals amounting to 89,000 and huge quantity of gold. Sources said that worth of the gold is in millions.Customs Investigation team presented both of them before the court of Chaudhary Ameer Muhammad Khan and asked for physical remand for further investigation. The customs court approved their physical remand for six days.
