ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Dry Port (IDP) collected Rs830million of extra Customs Duty (CD) during July to 21st of March FY17-18 against an earmarked revenue collection target for the entire three quarters (July to 31st March) FY17-18.
Deputy Collector Wajid Zaman explained details while giving an exclusive interview to Customs Today.
He said that the IDP earned Rs3296million revenue of CD during July to 21st of March FY17-18 (Eight months and 21 days) against an assigned revenue collection target of Rs2476million as CD for the entire July to 31st of March FY17-18. He told CT that the IDP is providing better facilities to the importers and exporters because they are the main source to add tax collection to the national exchequers.
He added that the IDP has already received surplus revenue during first three quarters against an allocated revenue target of all duty and taxes. He further added that the administration of the IDP tries to provide utmost fearless atmosphere to the business community so that they can run their businesses with full confidence.
Answering to a query, he told CT that he himself along with Assistant Collector IDP checks all the containers because we are sitting here for proper checking and providing facilitation to the importers. The IDP always prefers to work following principle “cost of doing business”. It is my achievement that I have made the IDP premises fully secured as no unauthorized person or consignment can enter within the jurisdiction of the IDP without a proper documentation and permission, he emphatically said.
The Deputy Collector told the correspondent that, under the instruction of Zulfikar Ali Chaudhry, Collector Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Islamabad, about 16 security cameras have been installed at all the important areas of the IDP. The IDP is fully monitored now, he said confidently. Every vehicle, entering into the IDP premises, is checked properly whereas he has ordered all the customs security staff not to be negligent about security checking.
He informed CT that the Customs Duty target is always assigned to the IDP unrealisticcally while he is optimistic that the IDP will chase its earmarked revenue target for the month of March FY17-18. Regarding Red, Green and Yellow channels, he explained that 02 to 03% consignment is cleared through Green Channel whereas 07% cleared through Yellow and rest of the consignment is cleared through Red Channel.
Wajid said that we want to maintain a balance between business community and tax collecting staff, he added. We try hard to clear containers of importers as soon as possible, he said. He notified that old cranes, provided by Pakistan Railways, can cause accident during loading and unloading of containers as well as they also cause delay in examination process because they cannot work properly.
