ISLAMABAD: The Customs Department has assured the IT exporters of speedy clearance of their imported consignments at Islamabad airport and dry port.
The Custom official, after a meeting with Pakistan Computer Association (PCA), said that the department had approved speedy clearance of formal/documented imports of the IT hardware. The PCA delegation was led by its Chairman Munawar Iqbal, along with its executive directors Jamal Yousaf, Naeem Siddiqui, Khawar Idrees, Umer Farooq, Mohammad Younus and Irfanul Haq.
Quoting Collector Dr Arslan Subuctageen, the officials said that changes in sales tax regime on computer industry through Finance Act 2016 would bring informal traders within the documented regime as they would prefer to clear their consignments through legal channels.
The collector said the government would recognise the documented importers, who cleared their goods on payment of due amount of taxes through legal channels.
Arslan said the department would extend wholehearted support and facilitation to the IT traders. He advised the importers to always keep documentary certificates with their import consignments to avoid harassment at the hands of customs staff.
He called upon the PCA members to hold frequent meetings with Customs officials, on monthly or quarterly basis, as they may deem fit, to speed up the process of taxation and get their problems resolved without any hesitation.
PCA chairman Munawar Iqbal thanked the collector for his contribution to curbing the menace of smuggling and harassment of the IT traders. He said that after the removal of GST from some computer items, more items might be included in the list of exempted items.
