SIALKOT: Being optimistic and hopeful of the start of new calendar year 2016, Model Customs Collectorate Collector Ahmad Reza Khan has said that the collectorate would achieve many positive developments in terms of increased revenue, enhanced exports and improved trade facilitation.
The collector expressed this during an interview with Customs Today. Khan said that revenue collection was improved by almost Rs 5 million per month during the second quarter of the current financial year.
While appreciating the performance of the subordinates, he stated that the hardworking officials of the collectorate made it possible to increase the tax collection by their joint efforts.
“When I took the charge at Sialkot, I had to identify areas that needed improvement and where things were good, the same standard was to be maintained,” he said.
During the second quarter (October-December), the Sialkot Customs collected Rs 63.069 million by showing 199 percent growth over corresponding period of last year 2014-15 when it had collected Rs 31.688 million, he said.
An increased in revenue collection has also helped to clear the rebate claims in a greater volume, as compared to previous years. The earlier issuance of rebate claims would help to improve liquidity of the exporters to enhance their exports, he added.
Collector Khan said that officers and assessment & examination staff has been urged to expedite the examination process for consignments in order to facilitate the traders. The officers were also directed to dispose of their work expeditiously and ensure the timely processing of imported goods so delay in revenue collection could be eliminated.
Talking about the performance of the Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO), he said that monitoring and patrolling within the jurisdiction has been tightened to control the illegal smuggling.
The ASO made 12 seizures of different contraband items worth Rs 7.241 million during second quarter of current fiscal year, while it had confiscated smuggled items worth Rs 6.8 million in ten different cases during corresponding period of last fiscal year.
The measures were being taken for the safe custody of the impounded vehicles and save them from damages, he said, adding that deteriorated vehicles could not attract suitable bids during the auction. He further stated that strategies were also designed to earn handsome amount through auction of confiscated vehicles.
He said Sialkot Customs was primarily an export functioning collectorate where major chunk of import comprised the input items for exports. Since this temporary import falls in concessionary regime, an affective audit is essential to detect whether these concessions have not been misused, he said. For that matter, multiple audit teams have been formed in the collectorate, for audit in the areas of Duty and Tax Remission Scheme (DTRE), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and SRO 492.
Saying that Sialkot Customs was very mindful of the fact that it has to maintain a very close liaison with the trade for smooth and unhampered trade facilitation, he added that frequent meetings were held with local Chamber of Commerce and respective trade bodies wherein the problems faced by traders were discussed and remedial measures were taken subsequently.
In a corollary to this liaison, Customs-North Chief Collector Sarwat Tahira Habib made a visit of Sialkot and held meetings with authorities of Sialkot Dry Port Trust (SDPT), Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and various trade bodies. The issues and problems pertaining to the trade were discussed at length and instructions and directions were issued to the collectorate for resolving the issues immediately.
