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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.
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