ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has temporarily suspended the 0.25% penalty on the declared value of goods. This decision comes after customs agents raised concerns over the lack of an official notification regarding the enforcement. The FBR confirmed that no penalty will be imposed until a formal order is issued under Section 82 of the Customs Act, 1969.
Initially, the FBR planned to introduce this penalty to reduce port congestion and shorten dwell times. Under the proposed rules, importers would face penalties if they failed to file goods declarations within 10 days of arrival at customs stations for purposes such as home consumption, warehousing, or transshipment.
In addition, the proposed amendments required that goods be removed within three days after the vessel’s berthing and assessment, if the declaration was filed before arrival. If filed after berthing, the removal had to occur within three days of clearance. These strict timelines were designed to streamline customs operations and free up port space.
However, the Association of Customs Agents strongly objected to these provisions, arguing that they were unfair without an official notification and proper implementation framework. They approached both FBR and Pakistan Customs to voice their concerns about the added burden on clearing agents and importers.
Following this backlash, the FBR decided to hold off on enforcing the penalty. Officials stated that any future changes would be made only after issuing a proper notification and consulting with relevant stakeholders. The move has provided temporary relief to importers and customs agents dealing with cargo processing.
This decision marks a pause in the FBR’s efforts to tighten customs procedures, signaling that stakeholder feedback will be considered before implementing new financial penalties. For now, customs operations will continue without the proposed charges.
