KARACHI: General Secretary of Karachi Customs Agents Association, Yahya Muhammad said with full confidence that their panel would emerge successful in the upcoming annual elections of Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), to be held on September 26, 2013.
In an exclusive interview with Customs Today, Yahya Muhammad said that their panel fully cooperated with the Customs Department and its officials in their tenure.
Commenting on performance of Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), he said that QICT management is playing very supportive role to facilitate trade bodies and clearing agents. However, Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) and Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) are not facilitating their clients.
Importers, exporters and trade bodies pay extra charges in terms of demurrage and detention charges due to slow process of clearance at terminals.
“QICT is clearing more containers every day as compared to PICT and KICT”, Yahya said.
“According to the Customs Act 203, 1969, Collector Customs may decide storage/wharf age with terminal operators, but violation of the said Act is continued”, he further added.
Highlighting issues of clearing agents, KCAA General Secretary said that authorities concerned have cancelled licenses of several agents without any intimation or show-cause notice, causing great inconvenience for them.
Yahya said that Customs officials must have cordial relation with agents and they should conduct training sessions on regular basis, adding that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should take onboard the agents associations and trade bodies while implementing or introducing any new strategy.
Yahya appealed to Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to introduce online system at all National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) branches so that importers can deposit their tax returns online from anywhere.
He further said that authorities concerned should decide the fate of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) scam on merit basis.
