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Tag: Pakistan Customs

  • Valuation committees for Afghan, Iran goods to be set up

    Valuation committees for Afghan, Iran goods to be set up

    ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will constitute local valuation committee for customs valuations of goods imported or exported from Afghanistan and Iran.

    Through SRO 1352 (I)/2021 dated October 14, 2021, the FBR issued draft amendments for local valuation committee rules under Section 25A of the Customs Act, 1969.

    The proposed amendments would be applicable for the determination of value of goods of Afghan and Iran origin in order to regulate the Pak-Afghan bilateral trade by discouraging the incidences of under invoicing and smuggling.

    The FBR said that the proposed amendments would be applicable on the Afghan and Iran origin goods, imported from Afghanistan and Iran through land routes. In case, if an item is being imported through sea route in significant quantities from Iran, then, the value of such items shall be determined in consultation with Directorate of Valuation, Karachi.

    According to the draft amendments, the respective collector of customs (appraisement), on his own motion, in his area of jurisdiction may determine the customs values of any goods or category of goods imported in or exported out of Pakistan from or to Afghanistan and Iran through land customs stations through the following valuation committee constituted for the said purpose, members whereof shall be nominated by collector concerned, namely:

    (a) one additional collector of the collectorate (chairman of the committee);

    (b) two deputy or assistant collectors of the collectorate (Members of the committee);

    (c) superintendents of principal appraisers or appraisers or inspectors as required;

    (d) representative of respective chamber of commerce and industry;

    (e) representative of Customs’ clearing agents association;

    (f) All Pakistan Dry Fruits Importer and Exporter Association;

    (g) all Pakistan Fresh Fruits Importers and Exporters Association; and

    (h) any other co-opted member as deemed appropriate by the collector.

    The values so determined by the collector on recommendations of the committee shall be valid for six months.

    FBR assures traders of facilitating Pak-Afghan trade
  • PSW to reduce trade cost, time, and complications: Tarin

    PSW to reduce trade cost, time, and complications: Tarin

    ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Friday said that Pakistan Single Window (PSW) will facilitate trade by reducing cost, time and complications.

    Shaukat Tarin presided over the first meeting of Governing Council of PSW held at the Finance Division.

    The finance minister appreciated the progress and stated that PSW will reduce time, cost and complications while contributing significantly towards ease of doing business in the country.

    He said that PSW will enable Pakistan to unlock its potential in becoming a hub for regional as well as international trade and transit.” Deep rooted reforms being undertaken under PSW program by the government will promote trade competitiveness with enhanced transparency and efficiency,” Tarin added.

    The new system will leverage information and communication technology to ensure better compliance with the cross-border trade regulations.

    The finance minister commended the efforts of Pakistan Customs as the lead agency of PSW program and all those who have been part of PSW, a transformational project, which will take Pakistan’s trade to the next level. He affirmed full support and facilitation on the occasion.

    The Secretary of the Governing Council briefed the Finance Minister about the PSW, a virtual system which is connecting the concerned Ministries, Customs, port authorities, banks and other relevant departments after major process re-engineering to provide a single window for management of international trade.

    The PSW is a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport in Pakistan to lodge standardized information and documents at a single registration point.

    This eliminates the hidden costs and removes inefficiencies in governance of international trade including logistics.

    He further briefed that first phase of PSW program has been rolled out while its 2nd and 3rd phases will be completed within the next two years.

    The implementation of PSW will make Pakistan’s ports competitive by minimizing the transaction costs and also enhance efficient provision of B2B and B2C value added services. The cargo would be cleared in a minimum possible time.

    Over 75 regulatory departments will be fully integrated through ICT based system, providing a single point of entry to facilitate trading across borders with minimal need for any physical contact, he added.

    The Governing Council (GC) is the apex body in the approved Business model of PSW under Pakistan Single Window Act, promulgated in April this year.

    The GC comprises of key stakeholders and prominent private sector subject specialists to oversee timely completion of this important project while removing hurdles in its implementation.

    The Finance Minister is the Chairperson of PSW’s Governing Council which also includes Secretary Commerce, Secretary M/o NFS&R, Secretary Maritime Affairs, Secretary Science & Technology, Secretary Narcotics Control Division, Member Customs Operations and CEO PSW Company.

    Among others, Federal Secretary for Narcotics Akbar Durrani, Additional Secretary Commerce, Additional Secretary Economic Affairs Division, Member Customs FBR and senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Maritime Affairs participated in the meeting.

    FBR appoints CEO for Pakistan Single Window Company
  • Provisional valuation disallowed on existing VR

    Provisional valuation disallowed on existing VR

    ISLAMABAD: Importers will not be allowed to avail of the facility of provision valuation for goods declaration when the valuation of such goods is already in the field.

    An important amendment has been made into Customs Act, 1969 through Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which was promulgated through presidential order on September 15, 2021.

    A proviso has been inserted to Section 81 of the Customs Act, 1969 to disallow provisional valuation.

    Following is the amended text of Section 81:

    81. Provisional determination of liability.- (1) Where it is not possible for an officer of Customs during the checking of the goods declaration to satisfy himself of the correctness of the assessment of the goods made under section 79 or 131, for reasons that the goods require chemical or other test or a further inquiry, an officer, not below the rank of Assistant Collector of Customs, may order that the duty, taxes and other charges payable on such goods, be determined provisionally:

    Provided that the importer, save in the case of goods entered for warehousing, pays such additional amount on the basis of provisional assessment or furnishes corporate guarantee or pay order of a scheduled bank along with an indemnity bond for the payment thereof as the said officer deems sufficient to meet the likely differential between the final determination of duty, taxes and other charges over the amount determined provisionally:

    Provided further that there shall be no provisional assessment under this section if no differential amount of duty and taxes and other charges is paid or secured against corporate guarantee or pay order.

    Following is the new proviso added to Section 81:

    “Provided further that no provisional determination of value shall be allowed in those cases where a valuation ruling (VR) is in the field, irrespective of the fact whether any review or revision against that VR is pending in terms of section 25D or relevant rules, as the case may be.”

    Customs restricted to reopen assessment of consignment
  • Customs restricted to reopen assessment of consignment

    Customs restricted to reopen assessment of consignment

    The Customs authorities have been restricted from reopening the assessment of consignment clearance based on incorrect information after a three-year period.

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  • Member Customs to make orders in valuation rulings

    Member Customs to make orders in valuation rulings

    The Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 has granted enhanced powers to the Member Customs, allowing them to annul or modify orders previously passed by the Director-General of Customs Valuation.

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  • FBR transfers 75 Customs officers in BS-18 and BS-19

    FBR transfers 75 Customs officers in BS-18 and BS-19

    KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday transferred 75 officers of BS-18 and BS-19 Pakistan Customs Service (PCS).

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  • Iran, Afghan shipments to require certificate of origin

    Iran, Afghan shipments to require certificate of origin

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs has drafted law to make mandatory the certificate of origin on shipments originated from Iran and Afghanistan.

    According to information received on Saturday, Pakistan Customs has proposed amendments to Customs Rules, 2001 related to imports.

    It is proposed that it would be made mandatory for shipments originating from Iran and Afghanistan and arriving through land customs-station, the certificate of origin issued by the relevant Iranian Government agency and by Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry respectively.

    For shipments originating from UAE and China (excluding imports under PTA and FTA regime) certificate of origin shall be uploaded for shipments of fabric (all types i.e. finished, unfinished and grey etc.) and artificial jewellery originating from UAE and China (excluding import under PTA and FTA regime) certificate of origin issued by the manufacturer.

    It will be made mandatory for the importer, in terms of clause (aa) of section 79 of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969) to upload following documents with every declaration in relation to each consignments, namely:-

    — master bill of lading and house bill of lading or master airway bill and house airway bill as the case may be;

    — commercial invoice;

    — letter of credit or bank contract;

    — packing list — container-wise in case of containerized cargo and package wise in case of miscellaneous goods consignments;

    — previous chemical analysis and lab test report, if any;

    — mill test certificate issued by the manufacturer in case of prime quality steel product;

    — certification as per requirement of Import Policy Order;

    — PTA or FTA certificate of origin, if claimed;

    — and any other documents or requirements specified by the Board from time to time.

    Pakistan Customs seizes arms from Afghan vehicle
  • FBR launches customs duty calculator

    FBR launches customs duty calculator

    In a bid to simplify the customs clearance process and provide greater transparency to traders, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a user-friendly Customs Duty Calculator. This online tool is designed to assist traders in assessing and calculating customs duties for their consignments, streamlining the overall clearance procedure.

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  • Pakistan Customs seizes arms from Afghan vehicle

    Pakistan Customs seizes arms from Afghan vehicle

    Pakistan Customs has successfully seized a cache of arms and ammunition from an Afghan registered import vehicle at Torkham station, as announced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday.

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  • Customs clears first mango consignment under TIR

    Customs clears first mango consignment under TIR

    Pakistan Customs has successfully cleared the first consignment of mangoes bound for Moscow, Russia, under the International Transportation of Goods – TIR Convention.

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