Islamabad, September 16, 2025 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has formally initiated action against individuals suspected of involvement in the unauthorized leakage of a sensitive report related to the Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system.
The move comes in response to recent media coverage suggesting massive revenue losses linked to the system.
A news item published in a leading daily had claimed that Pakistan lost nearly Rs100 billion following the launch of FCA. The Chairman FBR, supported by senior customs officials, categorically rejected the allegation during a media briefing on Tuesday. He clarified that the controversial report, which served as the basis of the newspaper story, was merely a preliminary audit note prepared by the Directorate General of Post Clearance Audit (PCA).
According to the Chairman, FCA was introduced in December 2024 with the objective of improving transparency, curbing collusion between traders and customs officers, and modernizing assessment procedures. Since its rollout, revenue collection has actually increased by almost 30 percent, and contravention cases against non-compliant traders have quadrupled. These outcomes, he argued, clearly disprove claims made in the leaked report.
The FBR also countered allegations regarding undervaluation of luxury vehicles. Officials presented evidence showing that duties and taxes were assessed strictly in line with notified valuation tables. For instance, contrary to what the newspaper reported, a Toyota Land Cruiser cleared under FCA was valued at Rs10.05 million with Rs47.2 million in duties and taxes duly collected. Similarly, all restricted goods were released only after regulatory requirements were satisfied under the import policy order.
The Chairman further explained that delays in cargo clearance, cited in the report, were largely the result of external issues such as port congestion and not the FCA system itself.
He concluded by stressing that those responsible for leaking the audit observations or misusing them for misreporting will face disciplinary measures. A special committee has already been established to trace responsibility. He reiterated that FCA remains a cornerstone of FBR’s digital transformation agenda, and misleading reports will not deter ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing compliance and efficiency.