KARACHI: Collector Appraisement West Dr. Fareed Iqbal Qureshi has suspended the license of M/s Basathia Impex and their user ID in the WeBOC system has also been blocked.
According to details available with Customnews.pk, one Raju also known as Tanveer, representing M/s Basathia Impex Chal No. 786 had threatened officers of Directorate of Customs Valuation with extraneous influence, misbehaved and used foul language.
Subsequently, Director Customs Valuation Wasif Memon recommended to MCC Appraisement West that the license of M/s Basathia Impex should be suspended. MCC Appraisement West accordingly blocked the user Id of subject clearing agent and suspended the license.
According to sources, Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan has taken notice of this episode and advised Director General Customs Valuation Syed Tanveer Ahmed that they must not succumb to any pressure tactics such as protests and strikes. It was known that a relative of prime minister also tried to influence the authorities so that customs values of medium-density fiber board may not be revised.
Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan has tasked Director General Customs Valuation Syed Tanveer Ahmed to streamline the customs values of all importable goods particularly from China, as there has been gross under-invoicing of imports from China.
It may be mentioned here that there has been a huge disparity between the import figures at Pakistan Customs and export number of China Customs in a similar period of time, which suggests that imports from China are being largely under-invoiced resulting in revenue loss to the country.
Chairman FBR tasked the DG Customs Valuation to develop database values of importable goods, so that under-invoicing could be eliminated.
Directorate of Customs Valuation is also advised to act as per law, and authorities are likely to lodge an FIR against the Raju aka Tanveer with the police. The accused and his accomplice came with the aim to pressurize the department to obtain favorable decision. It is also pointed out that such conduct of stakeholders inside the premises of official building is criminal and attempting to force the hand of a gazetted officer to obtain decision in his favor would render the government machinery useless and unable to function.
Meanwhile, Karachi Timber Merchants Group has announced to keep the markets closed as protest on Friday against the alleged unfair treatment by the officers of Directorate Customs Valuation. It is interesting to note that license of a clearing agent is suspended, but the timber merchants are resorting for protests. On the other hand Karachi Customs Clearing Agents Association (KCAA) is not supporting the above mentioned clearing agent.