PESHAWAR: The customs bylaws and regulations start applying soon after a person or an item enters or goes out of Pakistan.
This was stated by Assistant Collector, Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar, Asma Javed Paracha, while giving an exclusive interview to Customs Today on Tuesday.
She added that the Bacha Khan International Airport is facilitating trade of goods worth millions of rupees each month and has also seized contraband items in January which is a valuable contribution to the revenue collection of the Customs House Peshawar.
We are focusing on improving the preventive function as well as facilitating the passengers at the airport. We have seized around 700 Tolas of gold in January and this has only been possible through strict surveillance and passenger profiling, she added.
The assistant collector expressed that we are working under very difficult conditions at the BKIA Peshawar as it is still under construction which hinders our operations. But even then we have been able to perform well by executing the anti-smuggling operations for seizing a large quantity of gold and currencies.
When inquired from the Assistant Collector about the status of false declarations, Asma responded that most of the passengers have to encounter customs provisions when they enter the country after an international vacation or business trip.
Upon returning to the country, a person must declare the nature and value of goods he or she brings with. For example, if one buys gifts for family then he must declare these upon returning to the country.
If one intentionally does not declare any item and gets the item declared deceptively then it leads to criminal charges. It can also fall within the ambit of criminal charges if one fails to declare the amount of currency comprising more than Rs10000 on entry or departure, she explained.
Regarding the import violations, the assistant collector said importing goods into the country like bringing items for personal use is also subject to specific declarations and notifications of the import policy order and baggage rules. All imports are subject to import taxes which are known as customs duties. Trying to conceal the nature of import, its origin, value, or nature in an attempt to evade import duties can also be a crime, she informed.
She notified Customs Today that we have simplified the procedures and implementation of the customs bylaws at the BKIA which has improved the image of the Customs Department and also helped curb the smuggling of contraband items. She remarked that we are trying our level best to maintain a balance between passenger’s facilitation and controlling the illegal smuggling at the airport.
The AC airport informed the correspondent that an all-out effort is being made to use the technology in customs operations at the airport. Our main focus is to facilitate the importer and passenger so that trade can be increased. We are in need of human resource and also technical one to automate the customs procedures, she stressed.
