ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs said on Sunday it had foiled an attempt to import banned Indian-origin textile machinery misdeclared as Chinese equipment, in one of the first major detections under the Federal Board of Revenue’s new Risk Management System (RMS 2.0).
The seizure, jointly conducted by Customs Appraisement (West) Karachi and Customs Enforcement Karachi, took place at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) after an alert was generated by the RMS 2.0 software, which is currently being test-run at Karachi Port.
“In a joint operation, Customs Appraisement (West) Karachi & Customs Enforcement Karachi successfully foiled an attempt to import banned Indian-origin textile machinery misdeclared as Chinese-origin equipment,” the FBR said in an official post on X.
It said the consignment had been imported via Jebel Ali, Dubai, and intercepted after the system flagged the container for inspection.
“Physical examination revealed the machinery to be of Indian origin with manufacturer markings deliberately removed,” the post said, adding:
“Legal proceedings have been initiated. The goods are valued at USD 85,107. The detection reflects Customs’ vigilance & the effectiveness of FBR’s upgraded RMS 2.0.”
Experts say the interception underscores both the continuing challenge of enforcing the India trade ban and the growing sophistication of Pakistan’s customs technology.
Pakistan suspended all trade with India in August 2019, following New Delhi’s revocation of the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Since then, the import of Indian-origin goods has been prohibited under the country’s customs and trade regulations.
Officials said the use of Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, one of the world’s busiest re-export hubs, to reroute restricted goods illustrates how Pakistani authorities are tightening enforcement through digital tracking and data-driven inspections.
The RMS 2.0 platform, part of Pakistan’s ongoing customs modernization initiative, uses risk profiling, analytics, and automated alerts to detect high-risk shipments and prevent revenue leakage or trade violations.
