MULTAN: The Collector of Customs Appraisement Faisalabad, Asdaq Afzal Sensera, addressed the business community at the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), outlining the measures being taken to implement the federal budget for 2024-25.
Responding to the MCCI’s request, Collector Sensera assured the appointment of a focal person to address issues related to the clearance of gifts arriving from abroad at the GPO.
He emphasized the ongoing efforts to educate the business community on the new budget provisions and the initiation of regular training programs for customs clearing agents.
The event was attended by MCCI President Mian Rashid Iqbal, Senior Vice President Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Sheikh Muhammad Asim Saeed, Assistant Collector Umar Tufail, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum, Khawaja Muhammad Hussain, Syed Iftikhar Ali Shah, Syed Saqib Ali, Aurangzeb Alamgir, Sheikh Faheem Sattar, Waqar Shah, Khawaja Hassan, and MCCI Secretary Muhammad Shafiq, among others.
Mr. Sensera highlighted the challenges faced in training customs clearing agents during the last fiscal year, noting that agents from Multan had to travel to Lahore or Faisalabad, incurring additional costs. To address this, an online training program was introduced at Customs House Multan, enabling agents to complete their training locally. He assured that annual on-site training and facilities would now be provided in Multan.
He also pointed out that while Faisalabad exporters have a higher number of Goods Declarations (GDs), the industrialists of Multan contribute significantly more in foreign exchange, which is highly commendable. To support the business community in Southern Punjab, particularly in Multan, an Assistant Collector has been appointed at Customs House Multan to resolve customs appraisal issues locally, reducing reliance on Faisalabad.
He also discussed efforts to address concerns regarding the infrastructure cess, with a focus on levying the tax based on weight.
Industrialist Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum suggested that the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) should be extended to public or private limited companies with a clean track record, excluding those who misuse the scheme. These concerns were recently communicated to the Prime Minister, who assured full support for achieving this fiscal year’s targets.
MCCI President Mian Rashid Iqbal praised the Export Facilitation Scheme 2021 for simplifying the registration process for regional exporters, eliminating the need for multiple time-consuming trips to the Faisalabad office, which previously hindered business activities.
The event concluded with Mr. Sensera receiving a commemorative shield from the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
