KARACHI: The importers have decided to transfer/shift their businesses from MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim to other field formation Collectorates due to continuous hardships faced in the process of examination and assessment by the authorities concerned of MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim.
The importers while sharing their view points with Customs Today said that the continuous difficulties in clearing their consignments and harsh behavior of the Customs officials, particularly principal appraiser Tariq Aziz and appraiser Muhammad Zubair in assessment and examination have compelled them to prefer other Collectorates like MCC-Appraisement (West) and MCC-Appraisement (East) for clearance their consignments.
The importers were of the view that the Customs officials’ particularly principal appraiser Tariq Aziz and appraiser Muhammad Zubair with their harsh and lethargic approach force them to close down their clearance from MCC-Port Qasim.
They were further said that the importers’ community has already paid millions of rupees in share of demurrage and detention charges to the authorities concerned of terminal operator and shipping companies due to non-professional attitude of authorities concerned of MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim.
It may be mentioned here that the importers’ community is being faced clearance issues in examination and assessment for last couple of months; however the FBR authorities have not yet heed towards the plights of them.
It is also pertinent to mention here that the FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa, Member Customs Nisar Muhammad and Collector MCC-Port Qasim Surriya Butt have repeatedly assured the business and importers communities to resolve the issues faced by them, but nothing effective could be done yet by those FBR authorities concerned in order to redress the issues.
The importers further disclosed that the principal appraiser Tariq Aziz and appraiser Muhammad Zubair were openly demanding “speed money” for clearing the consignments and upon refusal they delay the assessment process and left the importers with on option except to pay speed money to them for clearing their consignments.
Responding to a query, the importers revealed that they have repeatedly registered their grievances and complaints to the Collector MCC-Port Qasim Surriya Ahmed Butt, although she does not take any action to resolve the prevailing issues of importers’ community.
One of the importers on privy not to disclose his name informed Customs Today that he was tried to meet Collector MCC-Port Qasim for last two days, but he could not manage to meet her, as the office staff of the Collectorate stated him that the ‘madam’ (Collector) is busy right now.
It is worth mentioning here that the MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is already lagged behind its revenue target set by the FBR for last three months and shifting of import clearance from MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim to other field formation Collectorate will certainly affect the revenue collection of the said Collectorate.
