Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for initiating disciplinary proceedings against officers involved in the misuse of Afghan Transit Trade for smuggling.

He also ordered their removal from their posts while presiding over a meeting to curb smuggling on Friday. The premier paid tribute to Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir for his full cooperation with the government in its endeavour against the illegal movement of goods out of the country.

PM Shehbaz gave the orders after a report of the investigation committee headed by former Sindh IGP AD Khawaja was also presented in the meeting.

Officials also briefed the meeting members on smuggling, misuse of Afghan Transit Trade, drugs, besides sugar, wheat, fertilizer, petroleum products and illegal weapons.

The premier lauded the committee for identifying the elements involved in the misuse of transit trade for smuggling and the officers facilitating them. Officials told the PM that a list of smugglers, hoarders, and their facilitating officers has been forwarded to the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and provincial governments.

PM Shehbaz also asked the LEAs and intelligence agencies to cooperate to curb the smuggling. He directed the authorities concerned to accelerate the countrywide drive against the menace.

Calling for punishing the smugglers and drug dealers, the prime minister asked the law ministry to carry out “immediate necessary” legislation for the purpose.

While affirming no leniency for looters of public money and their facilitators, the premier stressed the need for measures to provide alternative earning opportunities and a conducive atmosphere to the youths living in the frontier regions.

He emphasised on more swift and effective monitoring of the sale and smuggling of Afghan Transit Trade goods in the country and called for a third-party audit of the monitoring system.

The prime minister ordered his team to ensure the complete elimination of sugar smuggling and “immediate release of funds” to examine the prevalence of drug consumption at the national level.

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Officials told the members that, after consultation with the stakeholders, a national anti-smuggling strategy was in the final stage which would be presented for approval.

They added that the LEAs raided a warehouse of smuggling goods a couple of days ago in Mastung, Balochistan and confiscated goods worth over Rs10 billion. The prime minister appreciated the LEAs for their accelerated efforts to curb smuggling.

Federal ministers Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Rana Tanweer Hussain, Dr Musaddik Malik and Azam Nazeer Tarar, Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue, attorney general, personnel of law enforcement agencies and senior officers attended the meeting.