KARACHI: The MCC Appraisement East has notified the procedure for clearance of arms and ammunition as Ministry of Commerce in December 2014 allowed the commercial import of prohibited bore arms and ammunition.
In the new procedure proposed in the 2nd draft of Import Manual prepared by MCC Appraisement East team headed by Additional Collector Mohammad Tahir, the former system of issuing value based authorizations (VBAs) has been replaced with the quantity-based authorizations (QBAs). The import of prohibited bore arms and ammunition by the commercial importers (licensed arms dealers) has been allowed for the first time. The procedure further provides that all quantity-based authorizations (QBAs) shall be entered into the WeBOC System by the Ministry.
Mohammad Tahir had assigned this task to Deputy Collector Asim Rehman.
Accordingly, The authorized banks shall supply record of imports made by commercial importer (licensed arms dealers) biannually, in January and July to the Ministry of Commerce, State Bank of Pakistan, the Federal Board of Revenue. The Customs authorities shall inform MoC and the authorized banks in respect of up-to-date quota position of the licensed arms dealers after clearance of every consignment.
The licensed arms dealer importing prohibited / non-prohibited bore arms vand ammunition shall file GD online in the WeBOC System through his authorized clearing agent while scanning / uploading the invoice, packing list, bill of lading, letter of credit, OEM / PSI Certificate, the Category Pass Book (CPB) and FTA Certificate, if any. The de-stuffing of the consignment containing arms and ammunition shall be held in the presence of Examination Officer (EO) concerned.
The consignment containing weapons shall be got examined 100 percent to verify the nomenclature, caliber, bore or gauge, type of operation whether bolt-action / semi-automatic /automatic, manufacturer’s logo, serial numbers of each weapons in particular.
The consignment containing ammunition shall be got examined minimum 25 percent or more to the satisfaction of Assistant / Deputy Collector-Examination. Meanwhile, during examination of the consignment, the assessment Group- shall get the entry on the CPB verified through concerned authorized bank in all cases and the QBA in suspected cases on random basis through online system, if possible, otherwise through sending official letter to concerned quarters.
The physical examination shall be carried out in accordance with the Group’s instructions and report thereof along with the pictures of the imported product will be submitted online through the Assistant / Deputy Collector-Examination. Once the GD is assigned to the Assessing Officer (Group), he will call documents and the GD would be marked to the Documents Endorsement Cell (DEC) and at the same time the message would also be electronically transmitted to the clearing agent through the WeBOC system.
The authorized clearing agent will bring all the original documents and Undertaking on Rs100 bond paper to the Documents Endorsement Cell (DEC) and will scan the endorsed notarized copies of the above documents as well.
After scrutiny and scanning of the listed documents and determining the customs value and determining the appropriately applicable HS Code, the AO will forward the GD to the Assistant /Deputy Collector-Assessment Group through the Principal Appraiser Group with his recommendation to allow release of the consignment.
The Assistant/ Deputy Collector-Assessment Group will complete the assessment and out of charge the GD.
The AC/DC-Assessment Group shall inform MoC and the authorized banks in respect of up-to-date quota position of the licensed arms dealer after clearance of every consignment.
The AC/DC-Assessment Group shall forward to the District Deputy Commissioner a list showing the below mentioned particulars regarding the import of arms and ammunition.
The aforesaid proposed procedure meant for customs clearance of consignments imported by licensed arms dealers shall mutatis-mutandis apply in respect of consignment consisting of arms and ammunition imported by civil law enforcement agencies except for QBA and CPB and related prescribed procedure thereto.
However, it will be ensured that conditions mentioned in Import Policy Order are duly fulfilled. The delivery of such type of consignments shall be made only to the authorized officer of the importing department / agency.