KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has advised Directorate of Transit Trade to discontinue stamping of goods “In Transit to Afghanistan” at Karachi Ports and Port Qasim.
Moreover, the scanning of Afghan Transit Trade goods at Karachi Port and Port Qasim will be carried out as per Rule 473 of SRO 121(I)/2014.
An official said discontinuation of stamping transit trade goods is not a good decision and it would result in pilferage of transit trade goods and smuggling from the neighboring country.
The official said there were many cases in which goods pilfered and replaced during transit were detected and seized due to the stamps “In Transit to Afghanistan”.
It may be mentioned here most of the smuggled goods come from Afghanistan, which are actually transported from Karachi Port and Port Qasim to Afghanistan under transit trade. The condition of stamps was made mandatory to discourage smuggling and pilferage of transit goods.
The official said after the condition of stamp was imposed, there had been a considerable decline on smuggling.