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COLLECTORATE OF CUSTOMS PESHAWAR
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Collectorate of
Customs Peshawar was though officially
carved out on 01/07/1974 from
Collectorate of Land Customs and Central
Excise Lahore, history of Customs in
this part of Pakistan is as old as trade
itself. Its jurisdiction extends over
traditional trade routes with
Afghanistan. Prior to establishment of
Lahore Collectorate, it was part of
Collectorate of Delhi, the lone
Collectorate for the whole of Indian
subcontinent upto 1944. In 1944 two
collectorates were created out of Delhi
Collectorate: Collectorate of Sea
Customs Karachi and Collectorate of Land
Customs and Central Excise Lahore.
Initially, it comprised the whole of
NWFP and Districts of Attock, Rawalpindi
and Jehlum of the Punjab province. This
arrangement continued till the time when
the new Collectorate of Rawalpindi was
created, i.e. 01.07.1981. Jurisdiction
of Peshawar Collectorate, at that time,
was confined to the Province of NWFP
excluding Hazara Division, which was
again attached with Peshawar
Collectorate on 01.01.1986. Since then,
the whole of NWFP and Federally
Administered Tribal Area (FATA) except
Provincially Administered Tribal Area (PATA)
form its jurisdiction.
Traditionally, Peshawar Customs have to
contend with tough conditions in the
field of enforcement. Proximity with
Afghanistan having a long porous border
on which only a couple of Customs
stations are established, makes checking
of smuggling more difficult. Enforcement
of Customs controls is made further
difficult due to fragile security
situation on the border, roughness and
ruggedness of the tribesmen, harshness
of the terrain, occasional and
insufficient power supply and absence of
regular criminal law in FATA. Customs
Station Torkham was hit in 1989 with
missiles by Soviets, Customs Staff have
been kidnapped by tribesmen, and main
Peshawar-Torkham road is routinely being
blocked by warring tribesmen even on
slight pretexts. In recent times
turbulent situation in southern NWFP due
to creeping talibanization from
adjoining tribal areas has literally
halted Customs functioning in those
areas. In these daunting circumstances
Customs staff has to perform their
duties at the cost of their lives.
Collectorate of Sales Tax Peshawar was
created in 1996 out of Customs
Collectorate Peshawar, and collection of
Central Excise was also shifted to the
Sales Tax Collectorate in January 2000.
In 2004, eight new Customs Stations were
notified in FATA and one in PATA at
various strategic locations for
facilitating genuine trade with
Afghanistan.
In the beginning, private property at
Shami Road Peshawar Cantt was rented as
a makeshift for the Collectorate but
later on about 80 Kanals of land was
acquired for construction of offices and
residential accommodations at University
Town which was completed in 1986. Since
then the Collectorate is housed in
Custom House at Jamrud Road Peshawar.
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The collectorate comprises the following
main divisions:
1. Kohat Division:
Salt House Kohat is the epicenter of the
Customs Collectorate, Peshawar. From
time immemorial, the salt quarries at
Malgin, Jatta, Narri, Karak and Bahadur
Khel were worked out and Shah Baz Khan
of Teri levied duty for the first time
in AD 1780. Later on, the Sikh
Government monopolized the sale of the
salt and levied a transit duty on it.
The chiefs of the Khattaks used to pay
annually to the Sikhs a nominal sum for
holding and working the salt deposits.
The Sikhs awarded contacts for
collection of levies to private
individuals/parties. Payment of this
amount was routinely withheld by locals
as they were unwilling to pay the levy
but the Sikhs used to send armed forces
to realize the same. From 1839 to 1849,
the Peshawar monopoly was farmed and
these contracts helped greatly in
collection of revenue that varied from
Rs. 35000 to Rs. 48000.
After the second Sikh war of 1849-50,
the Kohat salt deposits came under the
British control. At the beginning, light
duty was imposed so as to avoid
agitation of the Khattak tribes but
gradually a systematic and scientific
method was introduced under the officers
of the Salt Department. Preventive staff
was installed to prevent smuggling and
evasion of duty payable on salt. The
salt would be carried to various parts
of the region, in the north to areas
like Swat, Bajaur, Buner and to Ningahar
and Kurram and in the south to Punjab on
the other side of Indus. This generated
into a healthy commerce and a salt
Preventive establishment was formulated
to regularize it. Salt Preventive
Establishment was constituted at all
quarries with headquarters at Kohat.
Customs posts were erected at various
strategic points for realization of
excise duty on certain articles.
Officers of the inland Customs
department supported by subordinate
staff manned these posts and dealt with
smugglers. The average amount of salt
duty collected during 1874 to 1883 was
Rs 89,522/. In 1903-4 duty realized was
Rs 607632/.
According to Gazetteer of Kohat 1882-3,
Kohat is one of the Districts in which
foreign trade is registered. Clerks were
appointed to register the trade with
Afghanistan and independent country
Tirah. The value of the trade registered
in 1882-83 was;
Import Exports
With Tirah: - Rs.48730/- Rs. 17,400/-
With Kabul: - Rs.122550/- Rs. 92,013/-
As salt was a major revenue earner and
the British realized its importance an
Assistant Commissioner was specifically
assigned to collection of revenue from
Salt. The Assistant Commissioner was
stationed in Kohat. The first Assistant
Commissioner posted to Kohat was Buster
Goodwin.
2. Torkham Division:
Historically, it is a major trading
route since time immemorial, which
played a vital role in the development
of trade between Afghanistan and other
central Asian states. Before, 1951,
Torkham alongwith Thal Customs Station
were under the supervision of the
provincial government of NWFP, but its
control was taken over by the Central
Government in 1951.
Border Examiners were initially posted
to monitor import/export goods to and
from Afghanistan from their office at
Landi Kotal. At that time the whole of
NWFP was supervised by a Superintendent
of Customs. As per available record the
Border Examiner frequently communicated
with the Political Authorities/ Naib
Tahsilder at Landi Kotal. On 22.07.1934
the Border Examiner proposed to
Tehsildar for acquisition of land at
Torkham for construction of examination
sheds and living quarters. Moreover,
record also shows that all
exports/imports were examined and
cleared at Landi Kotal.
Scrutiny of the official record further
reveals that Border Examiner was
administratively under Land Revenue
Commissioner, i.e. Provincial
government. Customs Station Torkham was,
for the first time, notified vide SRO 52
dated 28-08-1954 with retrospective
effect from Feb-1951. Later on it was
declared as a Customs station in 1984
under the Customs Act, 1969 with
retrospective effect.
3. Anti smuggling Division:
Traditionally, Peshawar Collectorate has
been playing the role of bulwark against
smuggling. Being a favorite route for
the movement of goods between
Afghanistan and southern parts of our
country the area also witnesses illegal
trading of banned of contraband goods.
The preventive functions of the
Collectorate are performed by all
divisional officers in their respective
jurisdiction, however, these are mainly
performed by the anti-smuggling
divisions along the GT road and in the
areas adjoining the tribal belts. At
present there are two such units
operating interdependently:
Anti-Smuggling–I
It operates in Peshawar district and
along Kohat road up to the limits of
district Nowshera. It comprises of three
mobile squads posted at different places
in the city.
Anti-Smuggling–II
Jurisdiction of this unit includes
district Nowshera along the GT road and
up to the limits of the Punjab province.
It comprises of the Mobile Squad
Nowshera and the check post at Kund
besides Customs Station, Shabqadar.
4. Dryport Peshawar:
Realizing the difficulties of the
business community, Sarhad Chamber of
Commerce and Industries in collaboration
with the Frontier Customs Agent Groups
started a struggle for establishment of
Dryport at Peshawar. They held meetings
with government authorities of various
departments such as Ministry of Commerce
and Industry, Pakistan Railways and
Collectorate of Customs and Central
Excise Peshawar. Their strenuous efforts
proved fruitful and the foundation stone
of the Dryport was laid down on
07.07.1986 by Mr. Nisar Muhammad Khan,
Minister for Railways who inaugurated
the Railway Dryport, Peshawar on
temporary basis. Offices for the Customs
staff were established in two rooms
provided by Railway department.
During the Afghan war, the USAID Liaison
Office was established at Dryport. The
USAID built offices for their use and
after winding up of their Liaison
office, the said accommodation was
allotted to Customs Staff in the year
1999-2000.
The main functions of the Dryport are to
facilitate: -
i). Exports
ii) Imports
iii) Local Industries
iv) Afghan Transit Trade (In terms of
Afghan Transit Trade Agreement 1965)
v) Baggage
5. Airport Peshawar:
Peshawar Airport is the only
International Airport in the province
with several airlines operating to and
from Peshawar mainly from the Gulf
States. Its contribution towards overall
revenue is minimal but is plays a great
role in facilitating passengers and
perishable exports. Major imports
include pharmaceutical raw material and
filaments for the manufacturing of bulbs
and tube lights as well as items
imported in small numbers while major
exports include fresh fruit and
vegetables, meat products, honey,
leather garments, carpets, semi-precious
stones and handicrafts. The airfreight
unit consists of the PIA and Shaheen
Cargo terminals. Airport Peshawar was
initially under the supervision of
Assistant Collector Preventative which
was later notified as Air Freight unit
in 1984.
6. Gadoon Division:
Gadoon Industrial Estate was established
in 1989 as an incentive for the
industrialists to set up their units
over there so as to provide alternative
sources of employment to the people in
the area. This was meant to discourage
poppy cultivation in the area. Several
units were established as a result.
However the government withdrew the
incentives after a few years resulting
in the closure of a large number of
units. At the moment only some units are
operating at Gadoon and only a few of
them have bonded warehouses. Still
considerable amount of revenue is
realized from this Division. The
division also comprises of the Mardan
Anti-Smuggling Squad and the Sherghar
Check Post.
7. Hazara Division:
Hazara Division straddles the silk route
and also has the Hattar Industrial
Estate in its jurisdiction. It is also a
historic division. As per Gazetteer of
Hazara District 1882-3 one Inspector of
Salt Department was posted at Ghazi (Haripur
district) alongwith support staff. Salt
levies from salt transported from Kohat
quarries were collected here. War of
Black Mountain (1852) was a consequence
of the murder of two Customs officers
who were performing their duties in this
area.
Currently several large manufactures of
vegetable ghee have set up their units
in the area. The division comprises of
circle office at Haripur and Mansehra.
Apart from revenue generation, the
division also performs preventive
activities all along the silk route from
Dassu (Kohistan) to Tareen Checkpost (Haripur)
and has a Mobile Squad stationed at
Mansehra.
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