KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has taken major steps for trade facilitation and allowed submission of documents at WeBOC without prior approval of Assistant Collector (AC)/ Deputy Collector (DC).
He appreciated efforts of the Chief Collector South (Appraisement) Wajid Ali who had initiated the pre-arrival clearance process and simultaneously promoted the re-engineering of various steps of the clearance process that has improved the working environment.
One such improvisation is the direct dissemination of the document calling message without the approval of AC/DC group. Usually the traders had to wait for the approval of document calling message by the concerned AC/DC before they can attach the documents in the Weboc system.
This outstanding stride by the Chief Collector South in collaboration with Directorate of Reforms and Automation will enable the traders to receive the document calling message for any particular goods declaration without the need for AC/DC to approve it hence subsequently expediting the clearance of cargo, he added.
Regarding Refund Management System, the following changes also made by the Customs Authorities under Weboc system.
KCAA General Secretary Arshad Khurshid also appreciates the interest shown by the Chief Collector South (Appraisement) that has really benefited to overcome the challenges faced by business community.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has unveiled a new module within the WeBOC (Web-Based One Customs) system. This online Customs clearance system is designed to specifically cater to the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), aiming to streamline their operations in the realm of international trade.
KARACHI: Dr. Fareed Iqbal Qureshi, Director General, Customs Valuation has said that Pakistan Customs is ready to constitute an advisory committee of the stakeholders from government and business community; and he has an open-door policy for addressing all the grievances.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will give cash rewards to law enforcement agencies (LEAs) for recovery and confiscation of smuggled or non-duty paid goods under Customs laws.
According to the draft amendment, the FBR proposed to include in reward rules the “officers and officials of other law enforcement agencies who assist Customs officers and officials or are actually instrumental in the seizure of smuggled goods and vehicles as confirmed by the respective collectorate of customs, for their meritorious conduct in such cases only after realization of part or whole of the duty and taxes involved in such cases.”
At present, the eligibility for reward stated that cash reward shall be sanctioned under the rules to the following categories of persons in cases involving evasion of duty and other taxes, and confiscation of goods, namely:
(a) officers and officials of Pakistan Customs Service for their contribution in such cases; and
(b) informer providing credible information leading to such confiscation or detection, as the case may be.
As per SRO 1386(I)/2012 dated November 26, 2021, the determination of reward has been explained as the amount of reward, in cases involving evasion of duty and other taxes, and confiscation of goods shall be determined in the following manner:
01. Where the amount of customs duty and other taxes realized is Rs500,000 or less, the amount of reward shall be 20 per cent of the customs duty and other taxes.
02. Where the amount of customs duty and other taxes realized is more than Rs500,000 but not more than Rs1,000,000, the amount of reward shall be Rs100,000 plus 10 per cent of the customs duty and other taxes in excess of Rs500,000.
03. Where the amount of customs duty and other taxes realized is over Rs1,000,000, the amount of reward shall be Rs150,000 plus 5 per cent of the customs duty and other taxes in excess of Rs1,000,000.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
The Customs authorities have been restricted from reopening the assessment of consignment clearance based on incorrect information after a three-year period.
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.
