Sources told Business Recorder on Sunday that DG, Intelligence, had issued instructions to the provincial governments of Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan not to cause undue delay in submitting data on selling/disposal of liquor under the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) guidelines.
A few months ago, the government had allowed the duty-free shops, diplomatic warehouses and hotels to sell the confiscated liquor to non-Muslims or diplomats subject to the condition that the outlets must have licence to sell liquor. A procedure for the disposal of confiscated liquor was also dispatched to the provinces.
Sources said that despite repeated reminders, the provincial governments of Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan did not submit liquor disposal data to the coordinating agency.
According to the instructions issued to the provinces, it was once again emphasised that only unclaimed cases at the point of entry and the liquor recovered from non-Muslims and fit for human consumption would be included in the list of confiscated items to be sold.
Only Sindh government provided data to DG, Intelligence.
Sources said that all provincial government agencies, which had confiscated liquor, would check whether it was fit for human consumption or not. The expiry date, wherever given on the cans of beer and wine bottles, shall be taken to determine its fitness for consumption. Whisky, which has an intact and original seal, will also be included in the disposable lot. The liquor not found fit for human consumption would be outrightly destroyed, and accounted for properly.
After examining the record, religion of the person from whom liquor was recovered, shall also be determined. In case the liquor was recovered from a Muslim, the same shall also be destroyed.
In case the liquor is recovered from any non-Muslim and is fit for consumption, it shall be returned to the owner on payment of fine equivalent to 30 percent of its value.
Sources said that in case the owner of the confiscated liquor is not available, or is untraceable, and the same is fit for human consumption, it shall be sold, subject to the provisions of relevant laws and procedures, to non-Muslim citizens or non-Muslim diplomats posted in Pakistan through duty-free shops, diplomatic bonds, hotels and other entities licensed to sell liquor.
The Directorate-General of Valuation shall determine the minimum value at which each variety is to be sold. Only the entities licensed to sell alcohol shall be eligible to offer bids for each lot. The bids shall be evaluated by a committee consisting of concerned collectors/directors and approved by the Directorate-General, Intelligence and Investigation, Customs and Excise.