PESHAWAR: Providing facilities to business community at dry port during new fiscal year 2016-17 is top priority of the customs officials so that the importers and exporters pay less demurrage and less clearing/handling charges.
This was said by Peshawar Dry Port Deputy Collector Zakir Muhammad while talking with Customs Today during an interview. He revealed that 30 to 35 percent consignments were being cleared through green channel on the basis of documents uploaded through WeBOC, adding that 99 percent of items have been shifted on WeBOC to facilitate the traders.
The deputy collector said that three channels: green channel, yellow channel and red channel, were used for examination of the goods, adding that red channel was used for high-risk goods. As mostly consignments were commercial in nature; therefore, the customs officials processed them after proper examination.
He said that Peshawar Dry Port was used to handle commercial transit cargo for Afghanistan. The export goods’ examination was conducted here before sending them to Torkham (Afghanistan Border).
Regarding transparency, Zakir said that presence of importer’s representative/clearing agents was not required, as there was less interaction with the customs staff, adding that all custom process performed online by the staff.
He said that dry port staffers have to see different things when they receive goods declarations (GDs) against the consignments in order to plug revenue leakage through mis-declaration, under-invoicing etc.
The Peshawar Dry Port was built in 1986 on the land of Pakistan Railways, but it is congested place for bonded warehouse, he said, adding, “There is an urgent need to build shed over the examination area to save importers’ valuable goods from weather effects.
He informed that Azakhel Dry Port project was underway, adding that it will be made functional after its completion in order to facilitate the importers and exporters of the region.
Responding to a query, he stated, “We should more focus on rising exports, as it will not only flourish business in country but also boost revenue collection”.
The deputy collector said that impounded vehicles and goods were shifted to warehouse and auctions were also held here at the warehouse.
Zakir Muhammad belongs to a noble Pashtun family of Mardan (KPK). He passed his LLB examination from Peshawar and become a part of Central Superior Services (CSS) in 2005.
He sent to Karachi for 8 months special training on tax management at IBA and after that he was posted at Regional Tax Office (RTO), Abbottabad as an assistant collector that was his first posting.
He also performed duty at Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Quetta, Islamabad Customs Intelligence and Karachi Customs Appraisement-East during his service tenure.
Under the supervision of Peshawar Customs Collector Qurban Ali Khan, the Peshawar Dry Port collected Rs 33.65 million on last day of outgoing fiscal year 2015-16 i.e. June 30, 2016, he said. It collected Rs 730,000 under the head of import regulatory duty, Rs 11.24 million as customs duty and Rs 16.27 million as sales tax on import. He further said that the dry port staff started making efforts to achieve revenue targets during new fiscal year 2016-17.
