The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has intensified enforcement measures to curb the smuggling of non-duty paid cigarettes into Pakistan, particularly during the Eid holidays.
Authorities have imposed Section 144 from March 31 to April 2 to prevent illicit activities, following intelligence reports that smugglers plan to exploit the holiday period to transport illegal cigarette consignments from Mirpur and Bhimber into Pakistan.
Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Muhammad Ali Asghar, has directed strict surveillance and monitoring at key transit points to counter the illegal trade of raw tobacco and tobacco products. Earlier, the AJK Inland Revenue and Excise Department, with the assistance of local police, foiled an attempt to smuggle non-duty paid cigarettes worth millions of rupees from a prominent cigarette factory in Bhimber.
Officials confirmed that an Excise Mobile Squad in Bhimber intercepted a suspicious Loader Ford Wagon (registration number J-4796) carrying 70 cartons of Kisan brand cigarettes without the required legal documentation. Initial investigations revealed that the consignment had been loaded from the National Tobacco Factory in Bhimber and was destined for Nowshera Virkan.
Following the seizure, authorities took legal action against the cigarette manufacturer and sealed the factory premises. The AJK government has since reinforced its enforcement drive, implementing Section 144 to prevent further smuggling of non-duty paid cigarettes from Mirpur and Bhimber into Pakistan.