KARACHI: The traders have expressed their concerns over the complications in the Web-Based Computerized System (WeBOC).
They were of the view that they had to pay extra charges in the form of demurrages and detention as they fail to get “hold” of the consignments on time.
An importer informed Customs Today that the introduction of WeBOC on one hand reduced the time of filing goods declarations, but on the other hand it created problems in getting info about the status of the consignments.
“In the manual system, consignments had hardly been cleared in a day or two, as the importer or clearing agent manually visited the authorities concerned and they were well aware by the status of the GDs,” he added.
He also said that presently, the system held the GDs automatically and neither the customs authorities nor the importers knew about the status of the GDs. The importers come to know about the complications in the GDs which results in extra charges in terms of demurrage and detention.
Another importer said that the Anti-Narcotics Force without any intimation puts hold on the consignments which compel the importers to pay extra charges in terms of demurrage and detention.
The importers and traders have appealed to the authorities concerned of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take notice of the current situation.