Reports have emerged of fake joint teams impersonating officials from the Federal Board of Revenue, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, and police personnel, allegedly conducting bogus raids and harassing traders at major commercial centers in Karachi.
The issue surfaced after traders from Jodia Bazaar, one of the city’s busiest wholesale markets, submitted a written complaint to the Chairman of the FBR, demanding an investigation into the alleged impersonation and misconduct.
According to the complaint, a trader named Sohail Qadri said that on January 31 at around 4:00 pm, a group of 10 to 12 individuals forcefully entered his shop. He claimed the group threw goods on the floor, damaged merchandise, and accused him of selling unregistered products. The individuals reportedly demanded production certificates and claimed to be officials from the FBR and PSQCA.
When the trader asked them to show official identification or written authorization, the group allegedly refused and instead issued threats. Qadri further stated that three members of the group introduced themselves as police officials from Mitha Dar Police Station. He said the group entered his shop without any notice, search warrant, or legal authority and behaved in an aggressive and unprofessional manner.
Despite repeated demands, the individuals did not disclose their identities or present any official documents, raising serious concerns about the authenticity of the raid. The trader said the incident appeared to be an attempt to intimidate and defame him by misusing the names of government institutions.
After the incident, Qadri approached the local police station, where he was reportedly told that the raid may have been arranged by a business rival. He alleged that an individual named Asif Majeed, who he said also uses the name Kashif Zia, was behind the incident. According to the complaint, the individual is allegedly under investigation by the FBR and PSQCA for sales tax evasion involving millions of rupees, with inquiries reportedly being carried out by RTO Lahore and I&I Peshawar.
The trader stated that he is a law-abiding businessman and maintains full records of his commercial activities, including goods receipts and payment documents, copies of which were submitted along with the complaint.
He urged the FBR chairman to order a fair and transparent investigation and to take strict legal action against those impersonating government officials. He also appealed for steps to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future and to protect traders from unlawful harassment.
Sources close to the FBR chairman denied that any such joint operation had been carried out by the department. Meanwhile, the PSQCA has reportedly launched an internal inquiry to determine whether its name was misused in the alleged incident.
