FAISALABAD. The business community of Faisalabad has good working relations with local Customs Collectorate whereas a team from Lahore played a role in creating mistrust between them, said Engineer Rizwan Ashraf, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).
He was talking to Mr. Tauseef Qureshi Collector Customs Faisalabad who visited FCCI here on his special request to resolve the stalemate between Collectorate and importers of the old used machinery.
Mian Muhammad Saeed chairman, FCCI standing committee on customs affairs, Chaudhary Muhammad Boota, former vice president, and representatives of importers of old used machinery were also present during meeting.
The business community expressed its apprehensions and reservations on custom related issues in very cordial atmosphere.
Engineer Rizwan Ashraf said that piling up of large number of import containers of old used machinery is a matter of concern for all of us. He said that Faisalabad is an industrial city and parts of imported old machinery are used by the local industry. If stuck-up containers were not cleared immediately, it will have negative impact on the local industry, he apprehended.
President FCCI said that FCCI has full confidence in local customs collectorate. The situation deteriorated due to the checking of customs team from Lahore. The importers of old used machinery have now strong apprehensions that local customs staff under the psychological pressure of Lahore customs team will over assess the valuation of import containers.
Mr. Tauseef Qureshi Collector Customs Faisalabad briefed the President FCCI about recent developments at Faisalabad Dry Port and said that only two containers of old used machinery were caught on the basis of mis-declaration. He clarified that container other than old used machinery including machinery; printers’ photo-copiers, herbal and chemical etc are being cleared while the importers of only old used machinery are not submitting their papers for clearance on illusion of over valuation. He said that local customs collectorate has not clamped any restriction on the clearing of old used machinery and he has already issued two spate notices under section 82 of customs act to the importers to clear their consignments to avoid auction of the piled up containers. He said that customs collectorate under rules could auction these goods but he is intentionally avoiding such harsh step and instead a customs committee has also been constituted to dispel the fake apprehensions and facilitate the importers of old used machinery.
He also assured them to redress their genuine grievances and asked them to submit their documents for the clearance of their import containers without any further delay.
President FCCI said that FCCI will continue to play its productive role in cultivating good working relations between government departments and business community of Faisalabad. He was optimistic that the issue would be resolved within days; however, the customs collectorate has to fulfill his commitments and facilitate the importers.
