KARACHI: Different trade organisations have expressed deep concerns over the alleged negligence of the officials working in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Cell at Customs House, Karachi, and demanded steps to improve its working.
According to details, the trade organisations were of the view that the officials concerned in FTA Cell were not making the use of automated system for the convenience of trade bodies and creating impediments in verification of FTA Certificate to the traders.
One of the traders, on condition of anonymity, informed Customs Today that the officials of Pakistan Customs in FTA Cell matched the “manual” signature of importer/exporter prior to the verification of FTA Certificate, despite having the facility to check authenticity of the trader through electronic “Bar Code” in the automated system.
They demanded the authorities concerned of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take necessary actions for redressing the issues being created by the officials at the FTA Cell.
It is to be noted that MCC-Appraisement Collector Muhammad Saleem had, a few days ago, suspended principal appraiser at the FTA and off-duty UDCs and LDCs following a host of complaints regarding mis-behaviour and use of unfair means in verification of FTA Certificates to the importers/exporters.
The trade bodies lauded the step taken by the MCC-Appraisement Collector, although they want permanent solution to their issues.
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