KARACHI: With coordinated efforts of the Pakistan Customs and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), the menace of smuggling has been curtailed by 80 percent that was depriving the country from legitimate duty/taxes.
This was stated by Customs Enforcement-South Chief Collector Muhammad Zahid Khokhar at a meeting with the office-bearers of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Wednesday. He added that joint actions by customs, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Anti-Narcotics Force put positive impact on national economy as legal imports increased into the country.
The FPCCI organised the interactive session to put across the problems being faced by the exporters at clearance stage, especially examination by the Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) and Customs authorities. Sindh ANF Regional Director Brigadier Abuzar was also present on the occasion.
Chief Collector Zahid informed that smuggled items worth Rs 7 billion were confiscated during running year, besides seizing the 600,000 litres of Iranian diesel. He added that numbers of non-duty paid vehicles were also impounded in this year.
He said that under-invoicing that reached to billions of dollars will be limited through latest techniques. He added that a system was being prepared to stop under invoicing of goods imported from China. The system, electronic data interchange (EDI), between Pakistan Customs and China Customs aimed at curbing under-invoicing. He said that the system will be ready to launch by the end of current fiscal year.
In the meeting, the exporters also highlighted pending rebate claims on which the chief collector assured that the problem of Rs 10 billion exports rebates would be solved within a month, as he was in contact with the FBR high ups. He also assured to solve problems of paper merchants after decisions of the court.
ANF Director Brigadier Abuzar said that the Pakistan was poppy free country but the quantum of poppy crop was increasing sharply in Afghanistan. He said that a bulk quantity of narcotics was being supplied through Pakistani routes resulting bad image for the country. He said that the transportation of narcotics mainly used legal trade.
He said that enemy of the country were using elements within the big exporter in order to defame them in international markets as well as defame Pakistan.
ANF director said that on daily basis 2,000 containers were imported and same quantity was being exported. “The ANF conducts examinations of only 2.5 percent of the traded goods,” he added.
On the complaints of business community regarding repacking of goods after ANF examination, he said that the exporters were paying for this to terminal operators and it was responsibility of the terminal operator to repack the goods as per international standards.
“But the current facilities at inspection yard provided by the terminal operators are not as per international standards,” he said, adding that entire process of examination done by ANF was free of cost.
The ANF director said that during past three years no big trader was disturbed by examination.
Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive S M Muneer said that exports of the country would pick up in coming months as commodity prices were increasing in the international markets.
He said that the exporters were facing internal problems such as stuck up refunds which was at Rs300 billion. “The finance minister, however, assures the refunds will be cleared by July 2016,” he added.
