KARACHI: The Directorate of Transit Trade in the proposals for Budget 2016-17 has framed the procedure to give legal cover to transit cargo through railways.
According to the procedure proposed by Director Wajid Ali, for Afghan Transit consignments transported through Pakistan railways, the trader shall file the Goods Declaration selecting Pakistan Railways and Pakistan or Afghan bonded carrier as the multi-modal carriers for the cargo.
It is suggested that all consignments except heavy, over size and bulky goods shall be transported via railways in containerized form.
Upon completion of all Customs formalities at Karachi Port and Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, the GD shall be assigned to Pakistan Railways as primary carrier. Before the cargo is allowed ‘Gate out’ by the Terminal operator or the Customs staff, as the case may be, it shall be presented to the Customs containerized Sealing Unit (CCSU) or the Customs sealing staff for affixing of seals and feeding of the seal number and other relevant information in the system.
The tracking and monitoring devices will be fixed on the transit goods in accordance with the prescribed procedure. The sealing staff shall verify the installation of the same and upload images of the seals, tracking devices, vehicles, and the containers in the system and shall generate the Transport note on the prescribed format for handing over to the carrier. Each copy of the transport note shall be signed by the Customs sealing staff. One copy shall be retained by the sealing staff, one copy shall be handed over to the representative of Pakistan Railways who will submit the same to the gate in staff of the office en route and last copy shall be retained by the representative of railways for its record.
At the QICT, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, the Railways shall obtain delivery of cargo directly to the railway wagon. At PICT and KICT, Karachi Port the loading of cargo on railway wagon shall be allowed from KPT area until the facility of railway tracks is established in PICT and KICT.
The containers shall move within the port area from PICT and KICT to KPT under the custody of Pakistan Railways who shall take full responsibility of the safety of the transit cargo.
On arrival of container at Peshawar City Station or any other notified Railway station, gate-in shall be done by the Railways authorities. The Transit staff shall verify the seals affixed to the containers and check other relevant data in the computerized system.
After verification the Railway authorities shall place the containers in the area specified for Afghan Transit cargo. The examiner shall inspect the container or goods to his satisfaction that the GD is in order, weight of the container is correct and seals, fastening and body of the container are intact.
In case any-discrepancy, seal tampering or shortage of goods is observed, the goods shall be examined hundred percent in the presence of representative of Pakistan Railways and the concerned clearing agents and proper inventory thereof shall be prepared and signed by each representative for necessary legal action under the Act and these rules.
In case no discrepancy is observed in seals or weight of cargo, the consignment shall then be allowed loading on the second transport unit i.e. a Pakistani bonded carrier or, as the case may be, an afghan vehicle allowed entry to Pakistan on TAO by the relevant staff.
A convoy memo in triplicate showing the particulars of the consignments and transport unit shall be prepared by the Customs staff in-charge of the concerned transit station at Peshawar.
Original and duplicate copies of the convey memo shall be forwarded to Customs Station, Torkham and triplicate copy shall he retained by the station at Peshawar. A gate pass in quadruplicates containing particulars in respect of convey of vehicles loaded with transit goods shall also be prepared by the Deputy Superintendent in-charge Customs Transit Station, Peshawar.
The quadruplicate copy of gate pass shall be retained by Customs Transit Stations Peshawar in a bound book, duplicate and triplicate copies shall be delivered by the driver at Islamia Check Post (manned by political authorities) respectively and original copy of the same shall be handed over along with convey memo at Customs Station Torkham.
An inspector along with sufficient staff shall be deputed by the Deputy Superintendent in-charge Customs transit stations, Peshawar for escorting the convey of the vehicles loaded with transit goods up to office en-route i.e. Customs station, Torkham in this case.