Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A scam of obtaining liquor licence from the authorities concerned by Muslim citizens under the garb of non-Muslim identity has come to the surface.

Two citizens are reported to have acquired an alcohol selling licence from concerned quarters in Islamabad by showing them that they were Ahmadis. But NADRA’s record exposed the real identity of both these persons.

According to official documents received by Daily Times, the Director of Sun Diplomatic Bonded Ware House (SDBWH) Islamabad, Ishtiaq Ahmad, son of Gull Muhammad bearing CNIC No 37405-8520084-5 and Tahir Mehmood Tareen, son of Gull Muhammad, bearing CNIC No 37405-4617203-5 obtained liquor licences by showing themselves as non-Muslims (Ahmadis) in order to sell liquor to Islamabad based foreign ambassadors.

According to the law a liquor licence can be issued to only non Muslim citizens but these two owners of SDBWH, through deception secured the liquor licences from the relevant department and imported and sold liquor worth billions of rupees to ambassadors based in Islamabad.

The documents disclosed that these two liquor licence holders indulged in tax evasion of millions of rupees through cheating and deceitful means. FBR employees are also involved in this mega corruption scandal.

The report said that Malik Amir was virtually behind the issuance of the licence (No PWL/02/2005, 6989) to SDBWH and he was the ring leader of the gang. Now another citizen is trying to obtain this licence from Amir Malik. This licence was issued to SDBWH on October 31, 2013 and the owners of this firm in connivance with customs authorities are also evading customs duty.

The report revealed that the Director General (DG) Intelligence and Investigation had ordered a high level inquiry into the scam of acquiring liquor licences through fraud and non payment of millions of rupees customs duty.

The SDBWH has caused a loss amounting to Rs 800 million to the national kitty since 2013 under the head of customs duty. The company has imported precious liquor. Investigations against this company were launched in 2014 but customs authorities had stopped the investigation in return for a heavy bribe.

The SDBWH liquor licence expired on June, 30, 2016 but the customs authorities had given a free hand to this company to import more costly alcohol.

The SDBWH imported liquor costing 118 million dollars during the last two years and evaded customs duty worth millions of rupees during the import of alcohol. The Malik brothers had shown the cost of imported alcohol less in collusion with corrupt elements of the customs department.

According to documents the record of importing alcohol of over 400 varieties to Pakistan has come to light and this alcohol has been sold to the ruling elite and affluent class of society instead of foreign envoys.

The record also said that the SDBWH was also registered with the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan and the cost of capital shares had been shown as Rs 100000. The record reflects that company holds 10000 shares costing Rs 100 each.

The Report further said that Collector Zeba Azhar had recommended to cancel the licence of this company for evading customs duty and showing a less value of six consignments of alcohol. But member customs and other senior officers of FBR refused to cancel the licence.

Liquor worth Rs 8.2 million was sold to foreign ambassadors in 2010, liquor worth Rs 17.28 million in 2011, Rs 19.39 million in 2012 and Rs 5.8 million in 2013.

Daily Times tried to contact the directors of the SDBWH several times to ascertain their stance but no contact could be made.