President promulgates anti-smuggling ordinance

President Dr Arif Alvi Friday signed the anti-smuggling ordinance into law to tighten the noose around smugglers of currency and essential commodities.

According to the ordinance, which was sent to the president for signature after approval of the federal cabinet, those found supplying currency, wheat, flour, rice, and other essentials through illegal routes will be treated as smugglers and will face up to an imprisonment of 14 years.

Under the ordinance, a person caught smuggling commodities worth Rs3 million will be jailed for two years and three-year imprisonment for Rs5 million smuggling.

Likewise, the ordinance stipulates five-year imprisonment for smuggling of commodities worth Rs7.5 million, 10-year imprisonment for smuggling of items whose value range from Rs7.5 to Rs 10 million, and 14-jail term for smuggling of commodities worth more than Rs10 million.