PCA uncovers fraudulent cases worth Rs60.5bn
Rs. 60.5 billion, and having recovered over Rs. 6.7 billion during the past two years.
According to the official statistics, the PCA, previously considered a lesser-known component of customs' machinery, has been transformed into a leading enforcement arm through sophisticated data-driven operations and landmark actions across multiple sectors including revenue recovery, fraud detection, anti-money laundering, and policy reform under the leadership of Dr Zulfikar Ali Chaudhary, who served as Director General of PCA throughout this transformative period and now preparing for his tenure end on August 4, 2025, which has been marked by groundbreaking achievements, institutional strengthening, and the implementation of data-driven enforcement strategies.
The most significant breakthrough came from the Directorate of PCA South, under Director Sheeraz Ahmed, which uncovered the largest money laundering cartel in Pakistan Customs history. The massive fraud network, linked to the solar panel import sector, involved Rs. 120 billion in illegal transactions.
This high-profile detection has prompted major reforms within the customs department, successfully plugging revenue leakages and preventing further losses to the national economy through over-invoicing schemes and money laundering operations. The PCA South directorate alone detected duty and tax evasion cases worth Rs. 48 billion and recovered Rs. 2 billion in revenue—an unprecedented achievement in the unit's history.
Similarly, the Directorate of PCA Central, headed by Director Azmat Tahira, contributed significantly to the overall success with detections worth Rs. 12.5 billion and recoveries of Rs. 4.7 billion in duties and taxes.
Across all regional directorates—South, Central, and North—PCA teams identified widespread misuse of the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), successfully reclaiming billions in evaded duties and taxes. These investigations have also led to substantial policy reforms that have strengthened checks and balances within the system.
The regulatory improvements implemented as a result of these investigations are now actively preventing revenue losses worth billions of rupees, creating a long-term positive impact on Pakistan's fiscal health.
PCA has evolved from a relatively obscure department into a key enforcement arm of Pakistan Customs. The unit's success in detecting large-scale fiscal fraud, curbing money laundering activities, and reclaiming billions in evaded duties and taxes has established it as a crucial component of the country's revenue protection framework.
The transformation represents a significant shift toward modern, technology-driven customs enforcement, setting new standards for revenue recovery and fraud detection in Pakistan's customs operations.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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