MULTAN: Chief Collector Customs Appraisement Dr. Farid Iqbal Qureshi has announced that we will form trade facilitation committee with the approval of Federal Board of Revenue with traders for resolving genuine issues of importers and exporters.
He assured that all rebate cases would definitely disposed of next month to meet an outstanding demand of the importers and said that the customs department is making serious efforts to reactivate Multan Dry Port in order to extend maximum facilities to the importers and exporters of this region. He said that Customs Collectorate Appraisement is playing a key role in promotion of trade activities in the region.
He was addressing business community on invitation of Chairman Multan Dry Port Trust Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi for discussing issues of importers and exporters. Regarding double taxation of infrastructure cess, he welcomed the proposal to receive one percent infrastructure cess once by the federal government but added that this issue falls within the purview of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) and he will request Federal Board of Revenue to raise this issue at the appropriate forum.
He denied any discrimination with any port and told that uniform rules and valuation is being adopted at all ports. He asked the importers to inform him in case of any inordinate delay in the clearance of imports consignments and assured to resolve their genuine complaints in case of used and old machinery immediately.
Chief Collector told that export consignments cleared in hours after the implementation of WeBOC system but import shipment takes time due to destuffing and examination of consignments and collection of duty taxes but Collectorate of Appraisement has deputed additional Customs staff for swift clearance of consignments at Multan Dry Port for the facilitation of traders.He hoped that there should not be any harassment among the importers as they will be treated equally and fairly.
Chief Collector Dr. Farid Qureshi expressed that Collectorate of Appraisement is providing swift clearance facilities to importers without any hurdle. We are making all out efforts to increase imports and exports at the Multan dry Port and encouraging business community to avail our services.Our services are cost effective for our clients as they could save their moneys by availing services of Multan Dry Port in the region he insisted. Customs Collectorate Appraisement will observe the vehicle registration process at Multan Dry Port on demand of traders if there is any scope and limitations in SRO-450 and Transshipment Rules, then clearance and registration of import vehicles will be made possible by posting officer at Multan Dry Port.
Chairman Multan Dry port Trust Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi said that Customs duty and taxes must be levied on minimum Invoice Value to attract the exporters and importers towards Multan Dry Port.He informed the Chief Collector that importers and exporters are afraid of WeBOC system and majority of South Punjab export has been shifted to Karachi due to trust deficit on Customs. Almost 6000 export containers of South Punjab are cleared from Karachi and Customs cooperation is required to bring exporters at Multan and Sadiqabad terminals. He informed that importers and exporters are facing issues in issuance of WeBOC IDs which are only handled in Faisalabad office and Multan Dry Port importers face issues in obtaining WeBOC accounts in this regard.
He eulogized the efforts of the Collector Saima Shehzad who directed assistant collector to make action plan for enhancement of business utilization at the Multan Dry Port to raise the revenues by giving better facilities to importers and exporters of the region.
Collector Saima Shehzad also instructed staff to ensure the well-timed clearance of consignments at the Multan Dry Pot and needless delay should not be tolerated at any cost for the advancement of services at the Multan Dry Port Jalaluddin Roomi reiterated the withdrawal of Punjab and Sindh Infra-structure Development Cess to reduce the cost of production. He suggested that Muzaffargarh railway station be made a customs station for container handling so that imports and exports could be started without any further delay through railways. He said that vehicle registration under WeBOC system must be simplified. Roomi also insisted on early payment of pending rebate and clearance of all rebate cases. MDPT chairman complained of shortage of experienced and professional appraisement staff in Multan Dry PorT. Divisional Superintendent of Railway Shoaib Adil Mughal assured to provide wagons to exporters according to their demand but they have to maintain their demand of wagons because there is a shortage of spare wagons. He also assured to turn Muzaffargarh into a customs station.
Collector Preventive Muhammad Saleem, Additional Collector Syed Ali Abbas Gardezi, Assistant Collector Beenish Rasheed ,Assistant Collector Ahmad Zaheer alongwith importers, exporters, traders, industrialists of South Punjab like Ch.Zulfikar Anjum, Mian Faisal Mukhtar,Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan Senior Vice Chairman,Sheikh Fazal Elahi President of MCCI, Khawaja Muhammad Younas President of DGCCI, Khawaja Muhammad Yousaf ex-president MCCI, Ansar Khan Mian NasimAhmed,Syed Muhammad Ahsan Shah Chairman APBUMA, Syed Muhammad Aasim Shah,Khawaja Muhammad Fazil, Khawaja Muhammad Ilyas, Muhammad Ahmed Chughtai Ex-Chairman of MDPT, Khawaja Muhammad Azam, Senior Vice President of MCCI Mian Rashid Iqbal, Khawaja Badar Munir Ex-SVP, General Manager Multan Dry Port Trust Col (r) Awais Butt were also present.
