PESHAWAR: Collectorate of Customs Appraisement and Facilitation Collector Mohammad Saleem has said that the Collectorate has surpassed the assigned target of customs duty with heavy margin of 102.60 percent during financial year 2020-21.
During an exclusive talk with Customs Today the Collector informed that the target has been achieved by putting in all out efforts of the MCC to achieve the assigned targets in all areas identified by the FBR.
Answering to a query he said that in addition to regular the routine collection of duty and taxes, an effective strategy was devised to enhance revenue through administrative measures like Recoveries, Valuation and PRVs (Post-Release Verification) besides taking tangible measures towards facilitation of trade and ease of doing Customs business.
The Collector said that as far as the revenue side is concerned the performance of the Collectorate is revealed that Rs12 billion have been collected as customs duty against the assigned target of Rs5.9 billion, he added that the Collectorate has not only achieved the assigned target but has also surpassed the collection of customs duty by Rs6.07 billion which is around 102.60 % exceed than the assigned target.
Within the category of other taxes, an amount of Rs13.65 billion was collected under the head of sales tax whereas Rs4.85 billion was collected as income tax for FY2020-21.
Answering to another query Collector Saleem further said that a new Customs Station at Angoor Adda has been made functional from September 30, 2020, this measure boosted up the exports to Afghanistan from South Region of this Collectorate.
In the first seven months since operationalization of Customs Station at Angoor Adds goods worth US$23.75million have been exported to Afghanistan from this station alone.
The Collector highlighted that “prior to opening of the Customs station Angoor Ada not a single $US exports have ever been made to Afghanistan from this route”.
Further Rs765 million have been collected as duty/taxes since start functioning of customs station Angoor Adda in the same period as against yearly collection of Rs444 million from Customs Station Tank.
The MCC has recovered Rs31.70 million as arrears in the current financial year as against Rs16.90 million in the last financial year.
Moreover, Rs4.7 million were recovered as a result of PRVs, similarly, as a result of strengthening of enforcement measures in assessment and examination of goods, the declared values of goods during the current financial year are enhanced to Rs13.67 billion against Rs4.97 billion during the same corresponding period which comes to 175percent.
Telling about the facilitation measures he said that due to untiring efforts the status of existing Customs Stations have been upgraded whereby the Customs Station at Kharlachi has been designated for rebate able exports of cement in addition to simple exports.
The Customs Station at Ghulam Khan has been designated for handling transit cargo to Afghanistan in October, 2020, these measures proved significant impact in opening up of new trade opportunities for this area and would translate into expansion of bilateral trade with Afghanistan from BCPs (Border Control Posts) other from Torkham.
The Afghan Authorities and traders repeatedly recorded their protest against the valuation in respect of goods imported from Afghanistan. In this backdrop, this Collectorate in coordination with trade bodies reviewed the values of Afghan imported goods applicable for the last several years.
Accordingly, on the recommendations of this Collectorate, the Director Customs Valuation, Karachi issued a Valuation Advice for Afghan origin goods wherein values of such goods have been rationalized and also reduced where required.
In response to this measure Afghan Authorities also reduced the valuation on fruits like Kinno exported from Pakistan.
The Collector mentioned that in automation area all Customs Stations namely Torkham, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan and Angoor Adda have been converted to WeBOC (web based one customs) clearances, facilitation measures added.
Muhammad Saleem has attributed this impressive revenue performance of the Collectorate to the leadership of Syed Tariq Huda, Member Customs (Operations) and Dr. Asif Mehmood Jah, Chief Collector (North), Islamabad, to concluding the talk he congratulated his officers and staff on achieving the target, saying that “this was achieved by the sheer hard work of all the team.
