KARACHI: Customs’ officials have reportedly started seizing chocolates, biscuits and other food items from the inbound passengers in the name of a tough import ban imposed by the federal government.
The photos of the seized imported food items including chocolates and biscuits have surfaced on social media along with a picture of the detained goods’ slip.
It emerged that the Customs officials seized the food items from the inbound passengers at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, following the imposition of the import ban on various ‘luxury and non-essential products’.
It was learnt that inbound passengers were also being stopped by the Customs officials at airports for carrying such items in their handbags or luggage.
On May 19, the federal government imposed a complete ban on luxury and non-essential items under an economic plan and the items included food items, decoration items, luxury vehicles and others.
List of banned imported items:
- Mobile phones
- Home appliances
- Fruits and dry fruits (except Afghanistan)
- Crockery
- Private weapons and ammunition
- Shoes
- Chandeliers and lighting (except energy savers)
- Headphones and loudspeakers
- Sauces, ketchup, etc.
- Doors and window frames
- Travelling bags and suitcases
- Sanitary ware
- Fish and frozen fish
- Carpets (except Afghanistan)
- Preserved fruits
- Tissue paper
- Furniture
- Shampoos
- Automobile
- Confectionary
- Luxury mattresses and sleeping bags
- Jams and jelly
- Cornflakes
- Bathroom ware/toiletries
- Heaters/blowers
- Sunglasses
- Kitchenware
- Aerated water
- Frozen meat
- Juices
- Pasta, etc
- Ice cream
- Cigarettes
- Shaving goods
- Luxury leather apparel
- Musical instruments
- Salon items like hairdryers, etc.
- Chocolates