ISLAMABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Islamabad has seized a container of Viscos Yarn Clothes and registered FIR against Saleem Silk Center Rawalpindi on their attempt to clear the consignment by mis-declaration.
As per details, the payable duty on the consignment was Rs 4.8 million but importer paid only Rs 1.8 million duty, usually payable for Fabric cotton and not for Viscos Yarn. The duty on cotton fabric is $3, but it is $ 4.61 on Viscos Yarn which was mis-declared using wrong PCT.
Customs Investigation Officer Raja Bashir has seized the container on which Saleem Silk Centre moved to court and get stay order from Islamabad High Court. Customs has challenged the stay order in Supreme Court.
It is important to mention here that 25 percent less duty was being collected from cloth as compared to new duty as the duty was not fixed and that’s why, fabric importers were causing loss worth billions of rupees to national kitty.
The new duty on Viscos Yarn clothes has been fixed due to special efforts of DG customs Intelligence and Investigation Lutf Ullah. Customs authorities had brought in his knowledge that importers were saving hundreds of rupees duty by declaring the fabric as cheap one.
Moreover, DG customs Intelligence and Investigation Lutf Ullah wrote a letter FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa and suggested him that duty should not be issued of any fabric sans laboratory test and duty should be imposed only after lab testing of the fabric. The FBR chairman has not responded to his letter. However, FBR is planning to adopt constant policy in this regard.
