KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is mulling over to establish a separate collectorate in order to handle the imported consignments and vessels at South Asia Pakistan Containers’ Terminal (SAPCT), it is learnt here.
The sources informed Customs Today that the FBR, after activating the SAPCT for imported consignments, has planned to form a separate collectorate to look after the affairs of imported consignments at SAPCT.
The sources said that the FBR high-ups have forwarded the recommendations in this regard to the federal government, however; they have not received any “green-signal” from the government in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Model Customs Collectorate-MCC Appraisement (East) Administration is looking after the clearance procedure at SAPCT right now, but it is difficult to the management of Appraisement-East as the Collectorate is already facing shortage of examination and appraising staff at Pakistan International Containers’ Terminal (PICT).
It may also be mentioned here that there are already separate terminals for each of the clearance collectorates i.e. KICT for Appraisement (West), PICT for MCC-Appraisement (East) and QICT for MCC-Port Muhammad Bin Qasim.
The sources were of the view that the federal government after formal inauguration of the SAPCT would establish a separate collectorate for its clearance.
Meanwhile, the formal inauguration of first ever biggest and deepest terminal i.e. South Asia Pakistan Containers’ Terminal (SAPCT) of the country is about to be held in the current month, it is learnt here.
According to the terminal operator, the “test-trial” of the vessels is being continued at the SAPCT, adding that the vessels having imported containers from different countries are being harbored at the terminal on daily basis.
The terminal operator informed Customs Today that the SAPCT has vast capacity and it is being run under Chinese management which is in contact with the local management.
The sources said that 80 percent cargo and imported consignments are being off-loaded from China right now and the importers are being facilitated smoothly.
Responding to a query, the sources further disclosed that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with Chinese delegates would formally inaugurate the South Asia Pakistan Containers’ Terminal during the current month.
The terminal operator revealed that the gigantic size of vessel at the said terminal, adding that the authorities concerned are determined to provide best services to the importers and consignees.
The sources informed that the Pakistan Customs has already evolved a strategy in order to handle 1.7million containers and importers consignments during a year, adding that the FBR and Customs authorities have also been set a target to handle around 10 million imported containers at South Asia Pakistan Containers’ Terminal during the five years of time.
