KARACHI: The Customs duty collection by Pakistan Customs surged by 22.44 percent to Rs180.206 billion during nine months ended March 31, 2015 as compared with the collection of Rs147.441 billion in the same period last year as all the Collectorates posted growth in revenue collection.

Similarly, Customs duty collection by Pakistan Customs MCC south region surged by 21.48 percent to Rs147.67 billion during nine months i.e. July 01, 2014 to March 31, 2015 as compared with the collection of Rs121.286 billion in the same period last year.

An official said that FBR assigned targets to Customs for the purpose of preparing for the budget. “It does not mean that Customs had any obligation to achieve these targets by any means. These are just benchmarks set on the basis of previous collections,” he said.

Official said that well reputed officers had been posted on key positions due to which under-invoicing, mis-declaration and misuse of concessionary SROs had been reduced to a much extent. It may be mentioned here that the entire month of January is observed as holidays; and China is the major trading partner of Pakistan.

Overall sales tax collection at import stage stood Rs362.097 billion during the period under review, up 11.38 percent as against Rs325.653 billion in the same period last year. Appraisement South collection of sales tax at import stage stood at Rs304.133 billion, up 10.14 percent as against Rs276.969 billion collected last year in the similar nine months.

Income tax collected by Pakistan Customs during the nine-month period stood at Rs100.743 billion as compared with Rs90.045 billion last year. Appraisement South collected Income tax of Rs86.480 billion in the nine-month period ended March 31, 2015 as against Rs77.182 billion collected in the same period last year.

Highest revenue collection in terms of Customs duty came from MCC Appraisement West, which collected Rs52.048 billion followed by MCC Appraisement East collecting Rs42.529 billion and MCC Port Qasim collecting Rs41.991 billion in the nine months ended March 31, 2015.

For the 9-month period ended March 31, 2015, MCC Rawalpindi CD collection stood at Rs2.556 billion compared with Rs1.107 billion collected in same period last year i.e. (9MFY14); MCC Lahore CD collection stood at Rs28.364 billion (Rs13.028 billion in 9MFY14); MCC Islamabad CD collection Rs1.165 billion (Rs943.05 million 9MFY14); MCC Peshawar CD Rs3.677 billion (Rs3.497 billion 9MFY14); MCC Multan CD collection Rs5.744 billion (Rs6.236 billion 9MFY14); MCC Hyderabad CD collection Rs1.263 billion (Rs2.13 billion 9MFY14); MCC Quetta CD collection Rs648.98 million (Rs460.27 million 9MFY14); MCC Karachi preventive CD collection Rs9.076 billion (Rs7.691 billion 9MFY14); MCC Karachi EPZ-Imports CD collection stood at Rs112.43 million (Rs85.21 million 9MFY14); MCC Sialkot CD collection Rs86.45 million (Rs229.36 million 9MFY14) and MCC Faisalabad customs duty collection in 9MFY15 stood at Rs1.099 billion compared with Rs1.113 billion collected in 9MFY15.