A Senate sub-committee today significantly intensified its investigation into the large-scale theft of cigarettes from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) warehouses, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to expand its probe to include senior FBR officials, scrutinise their assets, and explore the potential involvement of a tobacco cartel.
The directive was issued during a meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control at Parliament House. Presided over by its convenor, Senator Saifullah Abro, the panel continued its inquiry into the disappearance of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from FBR godowns located in Swabi and Mardan. Senator Umer Farooq was also in attendance.
The FIA investigation team briefed the panel, confirming that statements from 20 relevant officers and officials have been recorded. The inquiry has so far identified that 1,262 of the stolen cartons were of the Kissan Tobacco brand, manufactured by Paramount Tobacco Company, while efforts to identify the ownership of the remaining stock are ongoing.
Expressing deep concern over what they perceived as a lack of seriousness from the FBR in handling the incident, committee members issued firm instructions. The convenor ordered the FIA to record statements from the RTO, Chief Commissioner, and the Member (Tobacco) who were serving at the time of the theft.
The sub-committee’s instructions went further, referencing previous inquiries against the Member (Tobacco) during a past posting in Lahore and urging the FIA to incorporate all relevant FBR officers and officials into the widening probe. A specific recommendation was made for the scrutiny of the assets of all concerned officials.
During the session, an FBR representative suggested the investigation should also consider the possibility of a tobacco cartel’s involvement. He noted that the tobacco company”s factory and high-value machinery had been attached, with the confiscated cartons serving as evidence in a tax evasion case. The convenor accepted the suggestion and directed the FIA to investigate this aspect.
Questions were also raised regarding the financial activities of the implicated tobacco company. After the FIA presented the firm”s bank transaction history, panel members questioned how financial transactions could have been recorded during 2024-25 when the factory had reportedly been sealed since 2024. The FIA was instructed to re-verify these transaction details.
Highlighting the constitutional mandate of such bodies, Senator Saifullah Abro remarked that Senate Standing Committees act as the “eyes and ears of Parliament,” guaranteeing thorough scrutiny of matters of national significance.
The panel also informed the FBR that it has formulated and put in place new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols to enhance the security of its storage facilities. Despite this, the convenor pressed the FIA to expedite the completion of its inquiry.
The meeting’s scope extended to related national security and economic issues. The sub-committee urged the FIA to examine recent petroleum price increases to identify any individuals or groups who may have profited from higher prices on existing fuel stocks.
Furthermore, the discussion addressed the use of non-custom-paid vehicles, the import of raw materials into the tax-exempt regions of FATA and PATA, and the smuggling of Iranian oil in Balochistan. The panel observed that these areas have increasingly become smuggling hubs, causing a detrimental impact on the national economy, and urged the FBR to reinforce its monitoring mechanisms.
Concluding the session, the sub-committee directed the FBR to submit comprehensive data on raw material imports into tax-exempt areas. Concurrently, the FIA was tasked with obtaining relevant data from the Petroleum Division concerning the illicit flow of Iranian oil into Balochistan.