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PAKISTAN’S FIRST INDEPTH NEWSPAPER ON CUSTOMS

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Karachi, Thu September 21, 2017

PESHAWAR

IRFAN BAHADUR

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ollector Customs Collectorate Gul Rehman has lauded the performance of Customs House Peshawar for collecting Rs 75.076 million during Pirst 12 days of September 2017-18 with commitment to achieve the revenue collection target at the month’s end. The Collector added that Customs House

moving in the right direction to achieve the target and hoped that the current month’s collection will cross the collection of previous month. According to station wise collection reports, the Torkham Customs station collected Rs 24,804 million revenue during the 12 days of September of FY 2017-18. The collector praised the efforts of deputy collector and directed him to earn more revenue during the current month as the Torkham Customs station collect

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more revenue than other Customs Station. The Dry Port Peshawar collected an amount of Rs 20.971 million during 12 days of September of FY 2017-18 for which the collector said that the Dry port Peshawar is an important contributor of important part of revenue to the collection of monthly collection of MCC Peshawar. The Bonded Ware House Peshawar generated an amount of Rs 9.1206 million in Pirst 12 days of September in current FY 2017-18.

Peshawar Customs collects Rs 75.076m in first 12 days of Sep

ASO takes into possession goods & vehicles from interior Sindh valued at Rs45m

Customs Central Region collects Rs 855m CD in first ten days of Sept

US Customs receives federal funding to keep UAS facility in Grand Forks

Gwadar Customs foils attempt to smuggle goods worth Rs 2.8m

Gul Rehman has lauded the Customs Peshawar for collecting Rs 75.076m | SEE PAGE 01 |

ASO Hyderabad impounded smuggling goods including NDPvehicles | SEE PAGE 02 |

Customs Central Region has Rs 855m CD in the first ten days of Sep | SEE PAGE 05 |

US Customs and Border Protection have received 8 million dollars in federal funding | SEE PAGE 07 |

A team of Customs Collectorate Gwadar confiscated various NDP items | SEE PAGE 08 |

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Faisalabad ASO impounds NDP vehicle valued at Rs675000 Thursday, September 21, 2017

National

FAISALABAD: The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Faisalabad executed various operations against the smugglers and took into possession a non-dutypaid vehicle worth Rs675000 involving customs duties and taxes of Rs1541079. Sources told Customs Today that Assistant Collector Syed Samad Hamadani constituted a team to frustrate the smuggling attempts. The ASO team consisted of Superintendent Tanveer Raza Naqvi, Faizi Raza and Sepoys Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Anwar, Zulfiqar Ali and Liaqat Ali.

ASO takes into possession goods & vehicles from interior Sindh valued at Rs45m

IRFAN BAHADUR

HYDERABAD

NAEEM ULLAH TARIQ

ASLAM ANJUM QURESHI

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he Air Freight Unit of the Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar has collected Rs29.70million revenue during two months of July and August of current Financial Year 2017-18, Deputy Collector Customs House Peshawar said on Monday at Peshawar. The sources informed Customs Today that many cases were handled in which smugglers were arrested for smuggling gold and drugs while many passengers were rejected for carrying extra baggage and unauthorized consignments. The AFU on duty at the airport earned Rs11.11million Customs Duty during the two months of July and August and it collected Rs1.67million revenue by auctioning oďŹ&#x20AC; goods while an amount of Rs0.40million was generated as Redemption Duty. The AFU received Rs8.97million of Sales Tax and Rs1.17million of ST on VM Importers during July and August 2017-18 which is more than Rs6.65million of ST done in July-August of FY2016-17 and Rs0.16million of ST on VM Palm oil in July-August of previous FY. The AFU Peshawar Airport generated an amount of Rs8.45million of AIT during the two months of July and August 2017-18.

he Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Hyderabad impounded smuggling goods including non-duty-paid vehicles, cloths, HSD diesel, tyres and tubes, table lamps, auto-parts, power cable, HP computer CPUs and other contraband cigarettes, medicines and electronic items worth Rs45million from Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana-Jacobabad during August 2017-18. Following the instruction of Hyderabad Customs Collector Akhlaq Ahmad Khattaq under the supervision of Additional Collector Amir Nawaz Hamid, the ASO conducted various operations to protect the country from inflation and decline of progress. The customs team took into possession different items including two vehicles (u/s 157) valued at Rs9.5million, two NDP vehicles (u/s 16 non-duty-paid) worth Rs3.5million, smuggling cloths measured 10,980 yards priced at Rs1.4million, 375 imported smuggling sacks of tyres and tubes valued at Rs2.5million and other miscellaneous items. The ASO conPiscated 60,000 liters of smuggling diesel HSD including Hino oil tanker priced at Rs3million, foreign origin autoparts worth Rs1.8million, 7.602 contraband packs of cigarettes

BKIAP-AFU receives Rs29.70m revenue during previous two months

worth Rs1.6million, foreign origin 3,080 sachets of Indian Gutkas worth Rs Rs92400, cannulas of different brands valued at Rs6.3million and 49,680 sachets of toiletries, 1,296 bottles of different shampoos including Head & Shoulders, Pantene and Dove worth Rs473040 and other items including Aero soft sleepers, shoes, stationery, table lamps, HP computer power cable and medicines priced at Rs14mil-

lion. Besides, the ASO impounded miscellaneous goods including electronic items priced at Rs910000 under the supervision of Deputy Collector Zam Zam Aman and others. The ASO team consisted of Superintendent Ghulam Shabbir Phulpoto, Inspectors Iqbal Mughal, Abdul Majeed Barich, Mushtaq Ali Lakho, Imdad Ali Abro, Shakeel Khan, Aziz Ahmed Katpar, InCharge Check-post Jacobabad, In-

spector Makhan Khan Behan, Jurial Abbasi, Ayaz Alishah,, In-Charge Sukkur Check-Post, ZulPiqar Jamli, Nasrullah Gilal, Abdul Rauf, Rahib Ali Abro, Hidayatullah Abro, Nazeer Ahmed, Sepoys Dhani Bux, Shoib Ahmed Bhutto, Ajaz Bhutto, Khalil Ahmed, Ghulam Sadiq, Ayuob, Saddam Abid Razaq, Sadiq Khaskheli, Hawaldar Muhammad Ahmed, Drivers Nisar Ahmdani, Ajaz Ali, Manzoor Mashori and Khan.

Iranian dates & trailer taken into possession by Khushab FIU T

KHUSHAB

NAEEM SHEIKH

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he Field Investigation Unit (FIU) Khushab has impounded the smuggling Iranian dates and a trailer worth Rs11.4million involving duties and taxes of Rs990000 during a successful raid. The intelligence team intercepted a trailer with registration No: TLZ385 near Mianwali Toll Plaza, M.M Road. The ofPicials checked the ve-

hicle and recovered Iranian origin 4529-cartons of dates of Muzafati and Rabbal brands. The team asked the driver named Muhammad Naqash son of Muhammad Nazir, a resident of district Attock, to show the documents regarding the legal import of the items. He provided a Bilty No: 2355 issued by New M/s Pak-Mehran Goods Transport Company Karachi showing A.B traders as sender and Gunj Mandi Rawalpindi and GD No: 625/2017 showing clearance of

Rabbal and Muzafati branded dates from Customs Station Gwadar. There was no arrangement for the search of the vehicle therefore vehicle was brought to the intelligence ofPice. Later, intelligence team seized the items under Section 16 of the Customs Act-1969 and 3(1) (3) of the Import and Export Control Act1950 punishable under Section 156(1)90 of the Customs Act-1969. Faisalabad Customs Intelligence team, comprising Deputy Director Muhammad Azam, Superintendent

Muhammad Tahir Iqbal, Intelligence OfPicers Chaudhary Saeed Hayat, Asghar Mehdi Naqvi and Sepoys Khalil Ahmed, Naeem Niazi, Muhammad Sajjad and Muhammad Anwar, participated in the action. Meanwhile, The Customs Intelligence and Investigation has confiscated smuggled items worth Rs 5,200,000 involving duty and taxes amounting to Rs2,684,782 during first 7 days of September 2017. Customs Intelligence also confiscated smuggled vehicle

Rs2,600,000 under section ( U/S 157 ) being used for transportation. Sources told Customs Today that following the directions of Customs Intelligence Deputy Director Muhammad Azam a team comprising Superintendent Amjad Khalid, Intelligence Officer Muhammad Siddique, Muhammad Saleem, Bashir Hussain, and sepoys Khalil Ahmad, Muhammad Sajjad, Muhammad Iqbal and Fakhar Abbas conducted various raids against smugglers.

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LAHORE M HAYAT www.customsbulletin.com

he Customs Central Region has collected Rs 855 million customs duty during the first ten days of September. As per details the Customs Appraisement Lahore collected Rs 407 million under the head of customs duty during the period under review while Customs Preventive collected Rs 249 million during the previous month of August. On the other hand, the Customs Collectorate of Multan collected Rs 176 million customs duty during first ten days of September. In the same way, the Collectorate of Customs Faisalabad collected Rs 22 million customs duty during the same period. Overall, the Central Region collected Rs 855 million under the head of customs duty from all the four collectorates. Sources told Customs Today that the Customs Central Region has already adopted a comprehensive strategy to recover outstanding amount from defaulters to achieve revenue collection target of the current month. Meanwhile, Collectorate of Customs Preventive team deputed at Allama Iqbal in-

Thursday, September 21, 2017

ternational Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle millions of rupees foreign currency to China. Official sources told Customs Today said that on suspicion the customs authorities questioned a passenger, Imtiaz Jillani if he was travelling with anything illegal but he replied in negative. The authorities, however, said that when the luggage of the passenger was searched thoroughly they discovered $25,000 and 2 , 0 3 5

toms he Cus t s l i a ted Rs det collec e As per r o h nt La ad of iseme the he r e d Appra n u riod illion the pe g n i 407 m r du toms s duty le Cus i h custom w illio review 249 m s R under d te of collec month ntive s e u v o e i r v P e the pr t during Augus

Yuans from his belongings. The sources said that the currency was recovered from the passenger in presence of two witnesses and impounded it in the name of the state while the accused was also arrested. It was said that the passenger was travelling from Lahore to China via Bangkok. He was holding a brief case and some other luggage and the currency was hidden in the luggage. The customs authorities after arresting the accused registered FIR under Customs Act 1969 and also impounded the currency. The FIR was registered by the customs authorities on the petition filed by Inspector Nadeem Iqbal Salimi. Sources told that the newly appointed Collector of Customs Faiz Ahmed has issued strict instructions for the staff appointed at the airport to be vigilant of the smuggling activities and adopt zero tolerance against any kind of smuggling. They said that acting upon the instructions the customs airport authorities have increased vigilance against the smuggling through the airport. n

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Founder & Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Editor Rahil Yasin editor@customsbulletin.com.pk For advertising & subscription marketing@customsbulletin.com.pk www.customsbulletin.com Phones: 042-35781643-4, Fax: 042-35781645 Address: 627, Siddiq Trade Centre, Gulberg, Lahore

EDITORIAL

Stable rupee, stable economy

ccording to newspaper reports, pressure is mounting on the government to slash the value of Pakistani rupee against dollar. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are braving all internal and external pressures to save the currency from depreciation. Rupee is already a weak denomination as compared to various other currencies of the world and has been on a downward trajectory since it broke its bonds with British pound in early 70s and shifted to dollar. Since then, its value has been fluctuating and is fully relying on the dollar rate determined by the market forces of demand and supply. A stable currency guarantees a stable economy. However, frailty of the economy of Pakistan is exposed on every ‘unusual occasion’ in the past whether it was political uncertainty or the change of the government. The grip of the central bank on currency is also subject to certain conditions as it happened last month when rupee began to shed its values in a free fall manner. However, the finance minister came to the rescue of rupee and saved it from the clutches of socalled money managers. So far, Mr Dar has successfully maintained the rupee value at certain level and ward off pressure from all sides to depreciate its value. The fact remains the pressure has been mounting on the government as it goes in the benefits of the groups who want to multiply their deposits in one go and leave the economy in lurch. Devaluation of currency should be the last option in the game of business, trade and investment. If the country is able to produce export surplus and rationalize imports, it will definitely reduce the issue of trade deficit. For arguments sake, if rupee is depreciated, it will benefit only to certain exporters, but will adversely affects imports of consumer goods which will not only increase smuggling, but also spur inflation in the country. The economy of Pakistan is passing through difficult times as political uncertainty is looming large in the country, the hostile neighbours are continuing to hatch conspiracies and terrorism still exists. The next general elections are only months away. In this situation, it is better not to make the mess of already fragile economy. Mr Dar has foiled every attempt to devalue rupee and it is hoped he will use his good offices to keep the national currency stable in any circumstances.

New global economic order I

LAHORE

DR AFTAB AFZAL

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n its Trade and Development Report 2017, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has stressed the need for concerted efforts to crowd in private investment to rev up the engines of growth and help rebalance economies and societies across the world.The report adds that no country can do this on its own without risking capital flight, a currency collapse and the threat of a deflationary spiral in this age of mobile finance and liberalized economic policies. Therefore, there is a need to devise a global strategy to in-

crease public expenditures and all the countries should be offered equal opportunities to benefit from their domestic and external markets.The world economy has been stunted by years of austerity and growing inequalities, with destabilising and dangerous effects on the political, social and environmental health of the planet. An urgent new global deal is need of the hour. The report calls for an equally ambitious effort to tackle the inequities of globalisation to build inclusive and sustainable economies. Special emphasis should be laid down on job creation and the expansion of tax bases to enable redistribution of wealth among

various segments of society. According to the report, the global economy will register a growth of 2.6 percent this year, which will be slightly higher than the 2.2 percent registered in 2016, and below 3.2 percent average seen in the years leading up to the financial crisis. It says the growth in developed countries is expected to tick in at 1.9 percent this year, up from 1.7 percent from the last year. The report holds the sluggish growth in richer nations responsible for limited growth in developing countries, and forecasts a growth of 4.2 percent this year up from 3.6 percent last year. Pakistan’s economy is facing

serious challenges from internal and external factors. A steep rise in fanaticism and jingoism in India has adversely affected regional peace and economic stability. The Indian politics revolves around Pakistan and it has not only threatened regional peace, but also slashed economic growth in the region. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation has been rendered ineffective deliberately by Indian policymakers, barring any effort to boost regional trade and cooperation. The initiative by United Nations is a welcome step and it is hoped the new global economic order may bring a paradigm shift in people’s lives.

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Malaysia’s July distributive trade volume up 9.4% Thursday September 21, 2017

World

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s distributive trade, as measured by the volume index of wholesale and retail trade, rose 9.4% to 157.7 points in July from 144.1 points a year ago, thanks to higher sales in the retail trade segment. However, the July figure was down 1.3% compared with June index of 159.7 points, according to the statistics department. Still, the sales value of wholesale and retail trade in July, at RM96.5 billion, is at three-year high and it represents the fastest growth since March 2014. It is 11.1% more than the RM86.86 billion reported for the same month in 2016. The July sales value comprised RM45.9 billion in wholesale trade, RM38.3 billion in retail trade and RM12.4 billion in motor vehicle trade. Sales of motor vehicles soared 9.8% year-on-year (y-o-y), the fastest expansion in two years.

US Customs receives funding to Dubai raises $1.1b loan for metro expansion keep UAS facility in Grand Forks DUBAI

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WASHINGTON

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S Customs and Border Protection have received 8 million dollars in federal funding to keep its UAS facility in Grand Forks. However, it is still up in the air whether they will stay at the Grand Forks Air Force Base or move over to Grand Sky. Some think that keeping the facility in Grand Forks rather than moving it will allow for better security along the northern border. Customs and Border Protection monitors 900 miles of border locally, from the Great Lakes to Montana. Meanwhile, OfPicers seized more than 199 pounds of methamphetamine at the Pharr International Bridge on Tuesday, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Customs and Border Protec-

Polish companies eye foreign markets he Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) aims to open 20 trade oﬃces abroad by the end of this year, its head has said. Around 70 such oﬃces are to be set up by the end of 2019, Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported. It added that Polish companies are increasingly eyeing foreign markets. Speaking at an Economic Forum in the southern town of Krynica Zdrój, Polish Investment and Trade Agency chief Tomasz Pisula said companies from this country are interested in doing business in locations including Africa, South America and Asia. Mid-sized Polish companies as well as large firms increasingly have their sights set on foreign markets, according to IAR. PAIH is a government agency that helps investors to enter Poland and promotes Polish goods and services. –CB Report

tion estimates the value of the seizure at about $3,992,909. The seizure occurred after ofPicers stationed at the Pharr International Bridge referred a white 2008 Freightliner tractor-trailer to secondary inspection. With the use of a canine team and a non-intrusive

imagining system, ofPicers found 36 packages of alleged methamphetamine–totaling 199.61 pounds–hidden inside the trailer. U.S. Customs and Border Protection OfPice of Field Operations seized the drugs and the tractor-trailer. The case remains under federal investigation.

China’s economy losing some steam as investment growth hits 18-year low

hina posted a rare Plurry of disappointing data including its slowest growth in investment in nearly 18 years suggesting the world’s second-largest economy is Pinally starting to lose some momentum as borrowing costs rise. Factory output and retail sales also grew less than anticipated, though a rebound in property sales and construction starts is likely to keep China’s overall growth relatively robust and comfortably on

target ahead of a key leadership reshufPle next month. “I think the risk (for China) isn’t in the next couple of months but rather the next couple of years,” said Capital Economics’ Julian Evans-Pritchard. “Progress on key structural reforms that really matter, such as boosting the performance of state-owned enterprises, has been quite slow and the structural drags on growth remain quite strong and are real risks.” –CB Report

he government of Dubai has raised a $1.1 billion loan that will be used to extend the city’s metro rail system, completing the first step of an infrastructure financing programme which could total as much as $2.8 billion, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The $1.1 billion is the commercial part of total funding required for the project; the remainder is expected to be obtained via loans guaranteed by export credit agencies (ECAs). First Abu Dhabi Bank, HSBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, Santander and Standard Chartered have provided the loan, which has a 10-year tenor, said the sources. A spokesman at Dubai’s department of finance declined to comment. The five banks did not

immediately respond to requests for comment. The loan will back the 15 kilometre (9 mile) extension of the Dubai metro towards the site of the World Expo, which the city will host in 2020. The metro extension is one of a number of large infrastructure projects linked to development of the Expo’s exhibition centre, which will itself require some $7 billion of financing. Dubai is also expanding its Al Maktoum International Airport, for which it borrowed $3 billion earlier this year and on which it plans to invest roughly $35 billion in total. The government approached banks for the metro expansion loan last year, asking for a commercial facility plus ECA-backed financing. Dubai initially proposed a 10-year commercial loan with an interest rate margin of no more than 200 basis points over London interbank offered rates. The pricing of the final deal was not immediately known.

UK inflation rate rises to 2.9%

he UK’s inPlation rate climbed to its highest level in more than Pive years in August as the price of petrol and clothing rose. UK inPlation measured by the Consumer Prices Index rose to 2.9% in August, up from 2.6% in July, Pigures show. The fall in the value of sterling since the EU referendum continued to be the main impetus for rising prices, the OfPice for National Statistics said. But a rebound in the price of oil also had an impact, pushing up fuel prices. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for

the fullest version. Meanwhile, UK house prices Pirmed last month amid constrained supply, according to the latest Pigures from Halifax. House price inPlation as measured by Halifax´s House Price Index rose by 1.1% in August versus the 0.7% increase registered in July. The stronger monthly performance means the annual rate of house price growth increased to 2.6% in August versus 2.1% in the prior month. It takes the average UK house price to a record £222,293, just above the previous peak of £222,190 reached in December 2016. –CB Report

Russian rouble up slightly on strong oil prices

MOSCOW

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he Russian rouble Pirmed on in response to oil prices which a day earlier went above $55 per barrel for the Pirst time since April, while equity markets fell in anticipation of a likely interest rate cut later this week. At 0740 GMT,

the rouble was 0.28 percent stronger against the dollar at 57.8 and had gained 0.25 percent to trade at 68.72 versus the euro. Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia’s main export, was down 0.16 percent at $55.08 a barrel. But prices have been generally on an upward path, and are nearly $10 higher than the year-low in June. Twenty of the 23 analysts

and economists polled by Reuters said they expected the central bank to lower the key interest rate by 50 basis points. The central bank could on Friday also shed light on its draft guidelines, including a nuanced definition of the inflation target, analysts at VTB Capital said in a note. “The 4% (target) will not change, but the central bank might explicitly out-

line the horizon for returning to the target after departures, and could specify tolerance bands,” the analysts said. Russian share indexes were down. The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.13 percent to 1,117 points, after it reached five-month highs the day before, while the rouble-based MICEX was 0.25 percent lower at 2,049 points.

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Customs Intelligence foils bid to smuggle cigarettes FAISALABAD: The Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation has seized non duty paid cigarettes worth Rs13,00,000 from M/S Asia Cargo Service Railway road Faisalabad during operation. Talking to Customs Today Deputy Director Muhammad Azam said that in pursuance of intelligence shared by Director I&I Zuliqar Younas the customs intelligence constituted a special team to crackdown foreign origin cigarettes.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

CUSTOMS BULLETIN

Gwadar Customs foils attempt to smuggle goods worth Rs 2.8 million GWADAR WAQAR AHMED ANSARI www.customsbulletin.com

team of Customs Collectorate Gwadar conPiscated various nonduty paid items, including air conditioners, room coolers, imported watches and many other things worth Rs 2.8 million. Source told Customs Today that on a tip-off regarding the possible smuggling of non-duty paid items, the Collector Gwadar constituted a team of Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) under the supervision of Customs Preventive Inspector Kamran Lashari. The team, during a search operation, intercepted a truck bearing registration no: LER:234 which was going to Karachi. During the search operation, the customs team found 12 piece of German made imported air conditioners, 30 non duty paid room coolers, 200 imported watches, different kinds of wires and other things The team impounded all the items including truck which was being used to smuggle these goods and arrested 2 smugglers identiPied who were later identiPied as Mobeen Ahmed and Shadman Khan. The customs

team registered FIR against accused persons and started investigations. Sources said this is the third raid of Gwadar Customs during the month of September. Meanwhile, The Customs Collectorate of Gwadar team has

seized 200 bottles of wines worth Rs 1.6 million during search of a vehicle. In another raid, the Customs Collectorate team foiled an attempt to smuggle non-duty paid chassis of luxury vehicles worth Rs 2.6 million. Ac-

cording to details, on a tip-off regarding possible smuggling of wine in Jewani area, Deputy Collector Gawadar Asadullah Larik constituted a team of Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) under the supervision of

Customs Preventive Inspector Abrar Khanzada. The team, during a search operation in Jewani area, intercepted a truck bearing registration number: HSG-544 Hyderabad, which was going from Gwadar to Mirpurkhas.

DRAP seeks Customs, FBR, FIA’s help in drive against spurious drugs ISLAMABAD

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rug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s (DRAP) has announced to seek Customs, FBR, FIA and other law enforcement agencies’ help to make its campaign against spurious, fake, counterfeit and substandard drugs a success. In this campaign, DRAP teams will meet with heads of Customs,

FBR, FIA and other law enforcement agencies, for improving coordination for effective and stringent enforcement of regulatory compliance and to resolve various hurdles and challenges in this regard. According to an ofPicial of DRAP, the campaign was launched with a focus on country’s people access to quality assured, safe, effective and affordable medicine. He added that this is another series, following an earlier three months similar campaign along with provinces that proved very effective in reducing the spurious, fake, substandard and counterfeit

drugs from the country. It resulted in sealing of hundreds of sales outlets, illegal and non-compliant manufacturing units, the arrest of many people, over 1,000 FIRs, hundreds of imprisonment and Pines over Rs 100 million, throughout the country, last year. This also resulted in a big deterrent against the involved culprits in this heinous crime against humanity, he added. In addition, this extended campaign will also include a drive for improving drug quality through integrated and systematic regulatory compliance for manufacturing facilities cGMP and

ensuring effective good distribution practices, good pharmacy, and sales practices. In this regard, DRAP teams along with provinces and security agencies will conduct market surveillance throughout the country, through strategic inspections and drug sampling for spurious drugs and will enforce regulatory compliance to a higher level. DRAP teams will also provide guidance to industry and pharma trade for improving the quality of manufacturing, distribution, sales and dispensing of therapeutic goods, he added. He said that the DRAP will also organize media engagement

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and will coordinate with social reformers and consumer protection NGOs to mobilize them for public education and to campaign for not accepting illegal and unregistered products and do not compromise on quality of drugs while purchasing, ensuring to buy only genuine products from pharmacies, maintaining good pharmacy practices and only registered and legal drugs. He added people need to be educated that they should not respond to illegal advertisements for unregistered products with fake claims. Public will be guided and requested to cooperate and inform.