KARACHI: A 15-member committee of the stakeholders and customs officials put their heads together on Wednesday to resolve issues related to WeBOC system installed at the Customs House in Karachi.
The 15-member committee comprised of Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), export committee and trade bodies while customs was represented by additional collectors, deputy collectors and assistant collectors. The meeting was chaired by WeBOC Project Director Tanveer Ahmed.
Sources told Customs Today that the 15-member committee expressed its reservations over the formation of WeBOC without consultation with all stakeholders.
Sources further informed that the committee members also came hard on the performance of terminal operators and delay in grounding the containers. The trade bodies, including the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federal Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, exporters and customs agents were of the view that they are suffering huge losses in shape of demurrage/detention charges.
“Customs officials assured the trade bodies and other members that their issues will addressed on priority basis,” sources claimed. They further informed that another meeting is likely to be held in the coming days.
The customs officials — in coordination with members of other stakeholders — had decided to form a committee to redress the issues faced by the customs agents and other trade bodies.
First meeting in this regard was held on Thursday and attended by Saifullah Khan (President KCAA), Yahya Muhammad (General Secretary KCAA), Qamar Alam (former Senior Vice President Export), Amin Essani (former Senior Vice President KCAA), Wasiq Hussain (former General Secretary KCAA), Faisal Mushtaq (former General Secretary KCAA), Shams Burney, (Senior Vice President All Pakistan Customs Agents Association) Arshad Jamal, Basit Ahmed (KCCI member) and others.
