KARACHI: Collector of Customs Adjudication-I Surraiya Ahmed Butt has issued a show-cause notice to M/s Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited for evasion of duties and taxes amounting to Rs 8.3 million on import of cellular infrastructure equipment for telecom sector.
The sources told Customs Today that during the scrutiny of import data of cellular infrastructure equipment for telecom sector falling under PCT heading 8517.6990, it has been observed that certain mobile communication companies imported such equipment by mis-declaring the same under PCT heading 8471.5000. Thus they have made a deliberate and willful attempt to evade duty/taxes by way of mis-declaration of classification of these items.
Sources said M/s Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited have imported cellular infrastructure equipment for telecom sector, networking and computer server machine with standard accessories by mis-declaring them in the PCT heading 8471.5000.
According to Pakistan Customs Tariff (Vol-I), the description of goods given under the main heading 84.71 read as: “
“Automatic data processing machines and units thereof, magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data onto data media in coded form and machines for processing such data, not elsewhere specified or included”.
In order to classify the goods more specifically, under single dash heading 8471.5000, we need to look into the description of goods given under this heading which read as: “processing units other than those of sub-heading 8471.49 whether or not containing in the same housing one or two of the following types of unit: storage units, input units, output units.”
However. it is clear from the declaration made by the importers that the goods are Cellular Infrastructure Equipment for Telecom Sector which, in no way, fall under PCT heading 8471.5000 and are vividly and correctly classifiable under PCT heading 8517.6990.
The catalogue uploaded by the importer in the system also reveals that the equipment is meant for use in GPRS/ UMTS solutions and supports a number of networking, routing. signaling and wireless sharing protocols/ interfaces. The other importers have also imported similar goods under PCT heading 8517.6990.
Thus. By way of mis-declaration of classification M/s Pakistan Mobile Company Ltd with the active connivance of their clearing agents M/s Saspak Cargo Pvt Ltd has evaded/short an amount of Rs 8.3 million.
In this regard, the Collector Adjudication-I has issued a show-cause notice calling upon the importer to clarify their position by deputing its representative of self appearance so that the matter be resolved.
