KARACHI: Proper valuation, neat collection and taxpayers facilitation are top priority of Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement-East.
Highly-placed sources in the Collectorate told Customs Today that since valuation is susceptible to manipulation it is an area of acute focus for the Customs. Correct classification as well as ascertaining of description do not only ensure speedy clearance of consignments but also help lessen the chances of escaping payment for whatever reasons, the sources added.
As is, the sources further informed Customs Today, 40 percent of the consignments are examined, cleared and allowed to release within seven minutes; another 45 percent are cleared within 24 hours while only about 15 percent take longer than a day for clearance and the majority of consignments get cleared within 3 days.
This already efficient dwell time- the duration starting with the filing of document, the examination of consignments and finally the issuance of the ‘Gate Out’ for release of goods- efficiency at Appraisement-East would further get better with the automation of the examination manual expected to be launched by end of this year or during early January 2015, sources informed Customs Today.
Collector MCC of Apparisement-East Najeeb R Abbasi chaired a meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the technicalities about the examination manual project. The meeting attended by Assistant Collectors, Deputy Collectors, Principal Appraisers and Appraisers of the Collectorate discussed the issues about how Examination Manual would address the automation environment. The MCC Apparisement-East is taking input from the other Collectorates and it is also discussing the drafting issue with them, sources said.
The Examination Manual would help provide guidelines for importers as well as to the examination staff in an automated environment to help facilitate taxpayers better and improve an already efficient dwell time even better. Decreasing the dwell time means lessening the hassle on the one hand and turning the processes much more transparent to provide better facilitation to taxpayers which makes the top priority list of the Collectorate, the sources added.
