The federal government has barred Customs officials from confiscating imported items from passengers travelling from abroad.

Earlier this month the government imposed a ban on the import of luxury items to deal with the country’s depleting foreign exchange reserves crisis and the falling rupee.

“Commercial quantities of the banned items be seized and bonafide passenger baggage shall not be stopped,” said a notification issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Tuesday.

The notification comes after a number of passengers complained that the airport officials confiscated items from their luggage.

The notification said that banned imported items should be confiscated but the items to are to be used for personal purposes should not be stopped or confiscated.

The FBR has sent the notification to all customs officials at the airports.

The FBR has appointed focal persons at all airports, saying that the appointments have been made to “facilitate genuine passengers arriving at the airports.”