KARACHI: The Customs Appraisement South is rigorously pursuing its agenda against revenue leakage as well facilitation of trade.
MCC Appraisement West has implemented strict scrutiny of the rules and records pertaining to the concessions and FTA discounts. Moreover, the examination section is under the prime focus so that the probable revenue loss could be avoided.
Since, consignments are being thoroughly assessed and examined where required, the clearance is taking a bit longer time, this along with the recent Eid holidays resulted in consignments piling up at the port and backlog ratios surging.
In view of the situation, Collector MCC Appraisement West Dr. Owais Agha Jawad has deployed appraising and examining staff at the Collectorate on Sundays. Assessment, examination and clearance functions would continue on Sundays. However, All Pakistan Customs Association has criticized this new practice implemented by Customs Appraisement South.
Vice Chairman of the All Pakistan Customs Agent Association Arshad Jamal said the entire process of automation was a failure as in the manual system consignments were being cleared in one day. But, now the appraisers refer consignments to the Principal Appraisers, who mostly ‘upheld’ the consignment for 6 days resulting in delays and over expenses such as demurrages. Moreover, for the clearance, it took time and money to see the assessing officer and review officer for obvious reasons.
Talking about in-bound and ex-bond Goods Declaration, Jamal said that when the GDs were put ‘in-bond’ the concerned authorities were demanding documents, which already had been submitted. A time of 6 days had become a routine for consignment to be released as the officials and officers developed excuses to delay the process.
He said that Deputy and Assistant Collectors were over burdened with analysis, review and audit etc, that they were unable to hold public hearings, which was another reason for the congestion at the port.
According to the schedule, Appraisers Abdul Rasheed Khan, Mohammad Siddique Zia while Examiners including Syed Riffat Ali, Masood Ahmed and S. Imtiaz Hussain Shah would be on duty at the Collectorate on Sunday October 11, 2015.
Appraisers Abdul Kalam, and M. Nadeem Butt while Examiners Raja Mohammad Aslam, Muzakir Shah and Salman Bukhari would be on duty at the Collectorate on Sunday October 18, 2015.
Appraisers including Malik Shahid Iqbal, Nadeem Ahmed Khan, Shaikh Zahid Aziz (officiating) along with Ms. Kiran Noor and Ali Murad Ansari would on duty at the Collectorate on Sunday October 25, 2015.
Appraisers Azfar Noor, Rai Iftikhar Ahmed, Raja Waseem Ahmed, Ghulam Mustafa Kathia and officiating Appraiser Iqbal Waris would be on duty at the Collectorate on Sunday November 01, 2015.