Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 14: A major fraud has surfaced in trans-Line of Control (LoC) trade where un-registered traders are taking part in international trade between India and Pakistan through Salamabad-Chakoti trade route on fake and fraud documents.
There are 634 traders registered for Salamabad-Chakoti LoC trade with the Directorate of Industries Kashmir. However, as per the documents of the Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) Salamabad, there are only around 50 active traders who regularly sent and receive goods through LoC trade from Salamabad-Chakoti route.
The TFC Salamabad issued a list of 117 active traders in May this year and it was later updated to 240. They also issued a roaster, in place of first come first serve basis, in violation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) so as to “streamline the trade”.
The roaster is full of gross violations as around 50 traders whose firms are not registered with the Directorate of Industries Kashmir are also in it and are taking part in trans-LoC trade. In most of the cases new traders and companies have illegally replaced the registered traders and in some cases new companies have appeared on registration numbers which does not exist at all.
In the roaster of 25 traders, who traded on July 9 from Salamabad to Chakoti, the names of four companies did not figure in the registered list of traders that is with the Directorate of Industries Kashmir. These companies at serial numbers 17, 19, 20 and 22 are- Faiz Traders, Import and Export Trading Company, Wadwan Budgam near Bilal Masjid; R T Traders Zaffaran Colony, Sempora with Proprietor Dilshada Akhtar; Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, main market Mulgam, Kunzar, Tangmarg with Proprietor Mohammad Ashraf Ganai and Aijaz Ahmad Ganai, main market Mulgam Kunzar Tangmarg.
At serial number 23 in the roaster of 240 issued by TFC Salamabad is Ameen Enterprises, Handwara with Proprietor Mohammad Amin Magray under registration number 160. However, in the Directorate of Industries Kashmir list of registered traders, 160 (CTFC/SU/LOC/ Trade/160) is the registration number of M/S Alamdar Traders, Chandanwari with proprietor Syed Zulfikar Hussain.
Similarly at serial number 212 is Sabzar Trading Company, Parimpora, Srinagar with Proprietor Owais Ahmad Gujri under registration number 338. However, under the same registration number (CTFC/SU/ LOC/Trade/338) is Sabzar Traders, Main Chowk, Baramulla with Proprietor Reyaz Akbar Lone son of Mohammad Akbar Lone registered with Directorate of Industries.
At serial number 27 is A&J Trading Co Singpora, Pattan with Proprietor Mansoor Ahmad Malik under registration number 419. However, under the same registration number (CTFC/SU/ LOC/Trade/419) is Aafreen Traders, Malikpora, Pulwama with Proprietor Mohsin Hassan Malik son of Ghulam Hassan Malik, Pulwama registered with Directorate of Industries Kashmir.
Under registration number 167, Proprietor Mohammad Tariq Khan son of Ghulam Nabi Khan resident of Frastbal, Pampore has four firms registered in his name with Directorate of Industries Kashmir. They are M/S D T Traders Pampore, M/S M M Enterprises Pampore; M/S New Gee Enn Sons, Iqbal Park Srinagar and M/S R T Traders Pampore.
Three of these firms, M/S D T Traders Pampore, M/S M M Enterprises Pampore and M/S New Gee Enn Sons, registered under the Proprietor Mohammad Tariq Khan are in the trade roaster at serial number 46, 141 and 143. Two of these companies, M/S D T Traders Pampore and M/S M M Enterprises Pampore with same registration number of 167 have illegally changed their proprietors to Bilal Lone and Fayaz Ahmad Trag respectively while Mohammad Tariq Khan has retained the proprietorship of M/S New Gee Enn Sons.
As per the Government order, (No. JDDK/LoC-Trade/1732 dated 02-07-2015) issued by Director Industries Kashmir only one of these firms is entitled for trade. “…it is hereby ordered that the trader be allowed to run his firm in single manner i.e. either on proprietorship basis or partnership basis”, the orders reads.
However, Director Industries said that the order has been issued recently and streamlining will take some time. He said that TFO has been asked to implement the order so that one person is allowed to carry out trade on one firm only.
The Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO) Salambad, Farooq Ahmad Shah, when asked about these un-registered traders, admitted that there are mismatches between the list with the Directorate of Industries Office and TFO roaster. “I am trying to remove this confusion”, he added.
As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the trans-LOC trade, the trade is being run on first come first serve basis. However, TFO, Farooq Ahmad Shah, in violation of the SOP issued a roaster.
The Director Industries Kashmir, Nazim Zia Khan, told Excelsior that roaster has been issued to streamline the trade. “The traders used to keep empty trucks in queue and then shift the goods in it. This was a big problem for us. In order to check this practice, we have issued a roaster system”, he said.
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