ISLAMABAD: Following the directions of the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through video address, the Model Customs Collectorate is trying its level best to get more and more revenue through all heads. The Chief Collector North issued verbal instructions to Collectorate of Islamabad to enhance their efforts to meet the assigned revenue collection target for the month of April’s Financial Year 2016-17. With the direction given by the finance minister regarding the vigilance of smuggling of foreign currencies, the MCC Islamabad has tightened the checks at the Islamabad airport to abort the smuggling of foreign currencies. The Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) Islamabad is the hardest airport for currency, mobile phone and heroin smugglers.
This was stated by Collector MCC Dr. Arslan while giving an exclusive interview to Customs Today.
Answering a query, he said the Islamabad Collectorate has distributed assigned revenue collection targets amongst all of its customs stations like AFU Islamabad and Islamabad Dry port. All the said stations are also trying their level best to meet the revenue collection targets for the month of April FY2016-17.
The Collector MCC Islamabad said the collectorate has deposited different kinds of confiscated foreign currencies worth Rs21.5million into account of The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) which had been transferred to the MCC Islamabad account. He said this amount will also be helpful to meet the assigned target of Customs Duty.
He further said the above said deposited foreign currencies comprise US Dollars, Chinese Yen, Qatari Riyal, UAE Dirham and Saudi Riyal. The collector said that out of deposited currencies, US Dollars were higher in quantity amongst other foreign notes. During corresponding financial year 2015-16, he said the Model Customs Collectorate Islamabad has deposited 27 kilogram of gold into the Mint Department Lahore and appointed two Customs Superintendents for recovery. The amount coming through said gold will be around Rs110million which will be a higher support to reach the assigned revenue target.
Dr. Arslan said the MCC Islamabad is trying its level best to achieve its assigned upward revised revenue collection target for the month of April. In this regard, the MCC Islamabad is holding auctions of seized goods and impounded vehicles and the collectorate asked the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) to do more and more seizures of smuggled goods, NDP vehicles and offending vehicles so that the collectorate can achieve its assigned target.
He emphasized that the MCC is trying to collect money from defaulters and focusing on various pending court cases in which taxes and duties are involved. There are total 155 pending cases of recovery whereas 119 cases of different kinds in which revenue involve and other 36 cases belong to tax defaulters which will be finalized by the end of this month.
Dr. Arslan added that he has assigned tasks of recovery to Islamabad dry port and Air Freight Unit Islamabad which will earn Rs20.00million revenue through Bank guarantees and recovery during the month of April. This amount will help collectorate of Islamabad meet its assigned target.
He remembered that Islamabad Collectorate had held six auctions during July to April FY16-17. The auction held on 24th of April was the biggest earning of Rs54.635million amongst those auctions held during the current and corresponding financial years. He disclosed that the MCC Islamabad will hold next auction of impounded vehicles and goods in mid of May 2016-17.
