LAHORE: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has tightened monitoring of public bonded warehouses handling petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) products to prevent unauthorised movement of bonded fuel.
In a standing order issued by the Office of the Chief Collector of Customs (Appraisement), Punjab, warehouse operators have been directed not to remove or deliver any bonded POL product without verification of ex-bond goods declarations (GDs) and confirmation that all duties and taxes have been paid.
The order, issued under Section 97 of the Customs Act, 1969, read with Rule 468 of the Customs Rules, 2001, also bars the transfer of bonded petroleum products to another bonded warehouse without prior approval through the WeBOC system.
Warehouse licensees must now obtain daily approval from customs officials before removing bonded products, maintain tank dip measurements in the presence of customs staff and update inventory records with ex-bond GD numbers, dates, quantities and remaining balances.
The chief collector has directed customs collectorates to deploy officials at bonded POL warehouses to monitor daily stock positions, verify duty-paid GDs, confirm WeBOC approvals and reconcile overnight stock movements with approved removals and transfers.
Separately, Customs Collectorates in Faisalabad and Lahore have assigned officers and inspectors to public and private bonded warehouses, including facilities in Faisalabad, Mehmood Kot and Machike Terminal, on a shift basis for supervision of bonded POL clearance and movement.
Customs officials have been instructed to ensure that no bonded goods are removed, transferred or handled without proper authorisation and completion of customs formalities.
Sources in the oil sector said the measures are aimed at improving oversight of bonded petroleum stocks and protecting revenue amid an ongoing Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) probe into alleged evasion of customs duties, taxes and petroleum levy worth billions of rupees through removal of imported oil.
