KARACHI: Chief Collector North Sarwat Tahira Habib has said reward and punishment system is necessary to achieve transparency. She said it is hoped that a better environment will take place in Pakistan.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, she said that Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) project with Afghanistan and China will be completed soon. She said that after completion of such projects complaints about mis-declaration and under-invoicing will be finished. She disclosed that the Customs Department is going to deploy well trained staff at Torkham border and Kalachi border check posts.
Sarwat Tahira Habib said that a team comprising ten members are completing their training for this purpose. She also said that three batches are already completed their training. Talking about her career Sarwat Tahira Habib said that she started her career in customs collectorate Islamabad in June 1987. She said that customs department is just like a team and looks like her own house and I always remained it above high. In reply to a question Sarwat Tahira Habib said that she herself paid visits to different collectorate to check their performance and give guidance to enhance their output.
She said that when she assumed her charge only three collectorate were using WeBOC system. She said she examined the tariff and tariff headings of all the four collectorates and compile the data. She said that we are trying our best to overcome the problems of mis-declaration and evaluation and we are also gaining support from automation system and supervising the portel. She said all the dry ports are using automation automation while hard stations are shifted on WeBOC system. We are also planning to bring some changes in logistics.
Sarwat Tahira Habib said that we are taking measures to introduce state of art technology and well trained staff to enhance the performance of our staff. She said that we were facing staff shortage problem at Sialkot airport. She said that tax payers are common people so we advised our staff to get in touch with them, it makes them to think that there is someone whom they complained about their issues.
She said we are going to resolve the issue of staff shortage in near future. She said that she directed all collectorate to take strict measures to control smuggling activities because smuggling is spoiling our nationa economy. She said if we can control smuggling then our revenue generation will automatically enhanced. She said smuggling conrol is not solely responsibility of government but civil society must come forward to cope this menace.
She said that we are planning to make check posts of Gilgit and Baltistan as state-of-art we already forwarding many proposals to FBR in this regard. She said that we are optimistic that trade relations between Pakistan and China will enhance with passage of time. For this purpose we have to give our full attention to progress of infrastructure.
In the end she said that it is her utmost desire that after she retirment people remember her in good faith due to her manners and devotion to work.
