The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a case over the alleged disappearance of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes worth approximately Rs. 250 million from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) warehouses in Swabi.
According to the FIA’s first information report, the case was registered against five FBR officials and three office bearers of Paramount Company over alleged misappropriation, embezzlement, misconduct, and connivance in connection with the missing cigarettes.
The nominated individuals include FBR officials Kamran, Naveed, Intasab Hussain, Qazi Amjad, and Sajjad Ali, along with Paramount’s Saqib Ali Khan, Fida, and Awais Qureshi. Further roles are expected to emerge during the investigation.
The FIA report said the matter originated on February 14, 2024, when FBR Inspector Kamran intercepted six vehicles carrying 1,262 cartons of Kissan brand cigarettes at Chota Lahore in Swabi. The cigarettes were confiscated and moved to an FBR warehouse in Shahbaz Ghari, Mardan.
The report said that on April 22, 2024, FBR officials Kamran and Naveed moved 1,202 cartons from the detained stock to the FBR warehouse at Qasim Pulla, Swabi, using four trucks. During a later inspection, 908 cartons were found missing. Another 907 cartons were reportedly recovered from Doulatabad Mankai, Swabi, on May 2, 2024, but the FIA said the corresponding entries were not made in the stock register.
The FIA said an inspection of the Qasim Pulla warehouse on May 7, 2025 found that a total of 2,828 cartons, including the 907 cartons, were missing. The investigation also identified alleged shortcomings in warehouse management, including the absence of official logbooks, stock registers, CCTV cameras, handling procedures, and written directions for moving stock between warehouses.
The FIA said the role of other FBR officials, including deputy commissioners, and any other private persons would be determined during the investigation.
The case has been registered under Sections 409 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The FIA said the investigation would determine the involvement and roles of the nominated individuals and any other persons found connected to the alleged loss.
