Karachi, January 9, 2025 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exposed significant failures in a company’s ability to monitor and track transit cargo destined for Afghanistan, leading to the termination of its license. In a detailed statement, the FBR addressed concerns raised by recent media reports, clarifying the rationale behind its actions and highlighting measures taken to ensure effective cargo monitoring during the interim period.
The FBR emphasized that contrary to claims made in the press, the termination of the license was not abrupt or baseless. It followed a thorough legal process and was grounded on multiple critical deficiencies, including:
1. The use of outdated tracking technology.
2. Frequent technical malfunctions.
3. Inability to provide live satellite tracking despite charging fees amounting to Rs 445 million.
4. Suspension of operations due to cyber-attacks.
5. Multiple violations resulting in cases registered by field formations.
6. Admission by the company, TPL, that its devices failed to deliver satellite services and frequently generated unnecessary or frivolous alerts.
These failures compromised the integrity of transit cargo monitoring while allowing the company to profit significantly. By terminating the license, the FBR ended the monopoly of a firm providing substandard services at exorbitant costs. The decision underscores the FBR’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, risk-free, and technologically advanced system for cargo tracking.
The FBR clarified that the license has been reassigned to four companies previously evaluated and deemed technically eligible under the Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules. However, these licenses had to be canceled earlier due to court rulings. In the interim, the FBR has implemented several measures to ensure the secure transportation of transit and transshipment cargo:
1. Installation of PMD devices on vehicles.
2. Movement of cargo in convoys under Customs escort from arrival ports to destination ports.
3. Selective scanning of cargo at both arrival and destination ports.
4. Establishment of a centralized Customs Control Room operating 24/7 for real-time vehicle tracking.
5. Enhanced surveillance of ATT/TP cargo by enforcement units throughout the network.
The FBR has also initiated a new tendering process to select qualified companies through a competitive and transparent bidding process. This approach aims to deploy state-of-the-art GSM and satellite tracking technologies, including Container Surveillance Devices (CSDs), for foolproof cargo monitoring.
The FBR reiterated its dedication to implementing a robust tracking system that safeguards the integrity of transit cargo operations while ensuring transparency and accountability.
