KARACHI: Mrs. Surriya Ahmed Butt, Chief Collector of Appraisement (South) has issued directives to customs authorities to simplify refund payment system.
The chief collector issued the directives in a meeting with members of Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), a statement issued on Tuesday.
At the meeting the customs agents pointed out that the traders were facing immense problems in obtaining refunds as authorities were processing their claims through manual system.
They said that almost all the system of the customs clearance had been automated and urged the collector to make the refund payment through online system.
The chief collector assured the customs agents for simplifying the refund payment system.
The managing committee of KCAA headed by the President Mohammad Amin Essani and General Secretary Arshad Khurshid participated in the meeting.
This high-level meeting was also attended by the Collector of Customs MCC-Appraisement (West) Wajid Ali, Collector of Customs MCC-Appraisement (East), Dr. Nadeem Memon, Collector of Customs MCC-(Port Qasim), Mumtaz Ali Khoso alongwith the Additional Collectors of Customs of MCC-Appraisement (East) & (West).
While addressing the participants by the worthy Chief Collector South stated that collection of legitimate taxes in a friendly environment and Trade Facilitation is the main focus and top priority agenda of Pakistan Customs.
She assured their cooperation in order to resolve the issues being faced by the trade on the spot by adopting Open Door Policy at Custom House.
In the said meeting the following decisions were taken:
Refund Process: It has been decided that refund process will be simplified.
Dis-continuation of practice for manual hold by the terminal operators on auction goods released by the customs after payment of legitimate duty and taxes.
Call Documents: In order to reduce dwell time the process for call documents will also be simplified.
Review Submission Option: The Customs Authorities agreed that an option will be given to traders to opt for personal hearing directly before the concerned Deputy Collector instead of routed through PA. This will reduced the dwell time and allow timely clearance of goods.
CRF procedure. As proposed by KCAA the On-Line CRF request will be introduced in the system with the consultation of Directorate of Reforms & Automation.
Regarding Auto De-Blocking of IGM. De-blocking of IGM of late GDs filing should be done electronically.
On-Line Verification of Pak China FTA. The authenticity of Pak-China FTA Certificate should be verified through Electronic Data Exchange (EDE).
All the proposals / agenda were appreciated by the department and assure the implementation of the same for the betterment of trade facilitation.
The meeting was concluded with a vote of thanks as the decisions taken were definitely reduce the cost of doing business.
In the end of meeting Mohammad Amin Essani (President) and Arshad Khurshid (General Secretary) thanked and appreciated the prompt decisions taken by the Honorable Chief Collector South (Appraisement) and other Collectors for giving them their precious time for meeting and assure their full cooperation at any stage.
