KARACHI: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has recommended for Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to evolve a mechanism to monitor pending test reports in all cases of provisional assessment to avoid inordinate delay in finalization of such cases.
M/s Majeed & Sons Steel (Pvt) Ltd filed a complaint with FTO against MCC Appraisement East on failure to release duty/taxes secured by Customs against provisional release.
M/s Majeed & Sons Steel imported two consignments declared to contain prime alloy steel billets and steel bars.
The goods were allowed provisional release subject to test report from M/s KRL, Islamabad to confirm whether the goods were alloy steel billets or non-alloy steel billets.
The importer requested the Customs to pursue with M/s KRL, Islamabad in respect of test reports as were pending for more than one year and eight months.
The importer’s representative Advocate Imran Iqbal confirmed that test report in case of one GD had been received and the security furnished at the time of provisional assessment of duty had been released.
However, the test report in respect of the remaining GD is still awaited.
It was known, the matter was pursued. Consequently, M/s KRL, Islamabad informed that the subject sample was misplaced.
FTO recommended for FBR to advise MCC Appraisement East to resolve the issue within 10 days and develop a mechanism so that such an issue could not arise again.