Non-Payment Of Custom Duty: Gwadar Students Deprived Of Donated School Buses

Mariyam Suleman Baloch

Gwadar – Three School buses donated by China Overseas Port Company (COPC) for schools of Gwadar are held at Gwadar port due to non-payment of custom duty, learnt the Balochistan Point.

On 18^th August 2014, three buses donated by COPC reached Gwadar port. However, custom authorities stopped the release of these buses out of port without payment of Rs. 4.5 million as customs duties.

These buses were donated for the schools of Gwadar during a ceremony which was attended by the Chinese Consul General in Karachi Ma Yoau, Chairman of Gwadar Port Authority Dostain Khan Jamaldini, Provincial Education Secretary Ghulam Ali Baloch and the Commissioner of Makran Division Abdul Fateh.

Bus donating ceremony

Buses parked in the premises of customs are deteriorating with the passage of time due to negligence of Balochistan government in paying custom duties of Rs 4.5 million.

Schools Students in Gwadar are left with no option but to walk to the schools or hire local transportation at very high fares.

Students of Gwadar demand from Provincial government and Gwadar Port Authority to pay the custom duties for school buses before beginning of the new school session in August.

Staff Report

Published in The Balochistan Point on July 11, 2015