KARACHI: Collector Customs Adjudication-I Suraiya Ahmed Butt issued a show-cause notice to M/s BT Pakistan for tax evasion of Rs 1,038,695 on import of cellular infrastructure equipment.
Sources told Customs Today that it was observed that certain mobile communication companies have imported such equipment by mis-declaring the same under PCT heading 8471.5000. Thus they have made a deliberate and willful attempt to evade duty and taxes by way of mis-declaration of classification of these items. M/s BT Pakistan have imported computer server for telecom sector by mis-declaring them in the PCT heading 8471.5000.
It is clear from the declaration made by the importer that the goods are cellular infrastructure equipment for telecom sector which, in no way, fall under PCT heading 8471.5000 and are vividly and correctly classifiable under PCT heading 8517.6990.
The specification of these imported goods when checked online reveal that the equipment is meant for use in GPRS/UMTS solutions and supports a number of networking, routing, signaling and wireless sharing protocols/interfaces.
In this regard, the Collector Adjudication-I has called upon the importer to why they evaded taxes/duties.