ISLAMABAD: The dry port Islamabad is planning to install a weighbridge with the money to be drawn from the Common Poll Fund (CPF) as Railways was not taking any serious notice regarding this matter. The dry port Islamabad has exceeded its initial eight-month target in seven months and nine days (From July to 9th February FY16-17) with the surplus collection of Rs35million against the assigned target of Rs1915million as customs duty.
The dry port collected Rs1950million till above said period of July to 9th of February FY2016-17. The dry port cleared 1797 containers during initial seven months (July to January) FY2016-17 whereas it generated revenue of Rs1905.492million under the head of customs duty during July to January FY16-17. Pakistan Railways is still not willing to provide “basic physical and organizational structures and facilities” like sheds, proper boundary wall, forensic lab, security cameras and other ones to the Islamabad Dry Port.
According to details told by Assistant Collector Customs Dry Port Islamabad Amanat Khan while giving an exclusive interview to Customs Today, he said Pakistan Railways still did not take any positive decision to make the Customs Capital Dry Port as of an international design. He added that the Model Customs Collectorate reminded the higher authorities of Pakistan Railways of these demands including installation of security cameras around the dry port building and construction of proper boundary wall to secure the dry port but all in vain.
He said the officials of customs had been holding many meetings with Pakistan Railways authorities but no positive decision had been taken so far. He maintained that Pakistan Railways can get a handsome amount of revenue if it establishes a forensic lab on the premises of Islamabad dry port for examination of imported items. In this way, the time of importer can be minimized and he can bring his goods to market on time.
Amanat Khan told Customs Today that due to long holidays in China from 15th of January to 15th of February 2017, the import activities remained slow but the dry port will meet its assigned target for February FY2016-17 adding as most of imported items are being imported from China, however machinery and spare parts come from EU, Japan, America and other parts of the world.
Answering a query regarding the performance of dry port during the first seven months of current financial year, he said that during said period the dry port surpassed its main target under the head of customs duty.
Amanat Khan said that during the month of February, the dry port was assigned CD revenue collection target of Rs230million while it earned Rs84million during initial 09 days of February FY16-17. He said that during the month of January FY16-17, the dry port generated Rs326.441 million customs duty against the assigned target of Rs270million, so the dry port surpassed the target with +56.441million during said period and cleared 247 containers.
He said that during December 2016-17, the dry port collected revenue of Rs307.965million under the head of CD against the assigned target of Rs260million and passed 275 containers. He further said that during November FY16-17, the dry port received Rs285.858million revenue under the head of CD against the assigned target of Rs245million as 295 containers of imported goods were passed.
The assistant collector said that during October FY16-17, the dry port Islamabad got revenue of Rs261.737million as CD against the set target of Rs225million. During said period, the dry port handled 235 containers and during September FY16-17, the dry port collected revenue of Rs289.208million under the head of CD against the assigned target of Rs290million whereas it handled 241 containers.
Amanat Khan told Customs Today that during August FY16-17, the dry port collected revenue of Rs.275.659million as CD against the assigned target of Rs276million. During the same period, the dry port handled 302 containers. During July FY16-17, the dry port generated revenue of Rs158.624million against the assigned target of Rs119million and handled 202 containers.
