Cigarette smugglers attack FBR team in Rawalpindi; LDC injured
A team of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) came under violent attack while seizing non-custom-paid cigarettes in Rawalpindi, leaving an official severely injured, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel on Wednesday.
According to initial reports, Lower Division Clerk (LDC) Imran suffered serious head injuries after being struck with an iron rod during the incident.
An FIR has been lodged at Ganjmandi Police Station under the complaint of Assistant Director Shujaat Ali of the Regional Tax Office, Rawalpindi.
The case has been registered under attempted murder, obstruction of government duty, and other serious sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
As per the FIR, the FBR team had confiscated 20 cartons of non-custom-paid cigarettes from a vehicle and was in the process of loading them into an official vehicle when they were attacked by around 35 suspects, reportedly of Pashtun origin, armed with iron rods.
The attackers forcibly retrieved the seized cigarette cartons, smashed the windows of the FBR vehicle, and physically assaulted officials on duty.
The FIR also states that the suspects incited a crowd to join in the assault and deliberately interfered in the execution of official duties. The named individuals include Zar Gul, Khalid Shah, and Hanan Khan, among others.
It is worth recalling that on May 20, 2025, law enforcement foiled an attempt to smuggle imported cigarettes via a boat on the Indus River near Ghazi Ghat Bridge in Multan. Over 1,500 outer packs of smuggled cigarettes were seized, which had been concealed under sheets.
On the same day, customs authorities intercepted an ambulance at a checkpoint near Ghazi Ghat. A search revealed that cartons of cigarettes were hidden under a stretcher and covered with cloth, disguising the smuggling effort as a medical emergency.
Reporter: Irshad Qureshi