Karachi: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has assigned a new batch of Assistant Collectors (Probationers) from the 51st Common Training Program (CTP) to various Collectorates across Pakistan.
The following Probationary Officers (BS-17) have been posted with immediate effect:
1. Mr. Hassan Nawaz – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (East), Karachi
2. Mr. Muhammad Yasir Kabeer – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Karachi
3. Ms. Zainab Basra – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (East), Karachi
4. Mr. Mohsin Mumtaz – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Hyderabad
5. Mr. Shehzad Ali – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Airports, Lahore
6. Mr. Anas Tariq – Assistant Collector (Probation), Office of the Chief Collector of Customs, Appraisement (South), Custom House, Karachi
7. Ms. Hafsa – Assistant Collector (Probation), Office of the Chief Collector of Customs, Appraisement (South), Custom House, Karachi
8. Mr. Mohammad Jawad Haider – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Airports, Lahore
9. Mr. Sami Ullah – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collector HQs-Enforcement, Islamabad
10. Mr. Abuhuraira Khan – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Islamabad
11. Ms. Bisma Noor – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Karachi
12. Ms. Quratulain – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi
13. Ms. Afeera Khurshid – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi
14. Mr. Aamir Sohail Burki – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Peshawar
15. Mr. Hamza Basharat – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Airports, Lahore
16. Ms. Asiya Syed – Assistant Collector (Probation), Collectorate of Customs Airports, Karachi
Under, Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system, where the second review process is carried out by Assistant Collectors. This system aims to reduce direct contact between Customs officers, clearing agents, and importers, with over 53% of clearances being processed through green channels.
While this move is intended to relieve pressure on officers at the FCA, concerns have been raised about its effectiveness. An official remarked that the FCA system assumes that importers, clearing agents, and Deputy/Assistant Collectors are inherently honest, while assessment officers are suspected of corruption. This approach, intended to curb corruption, may paradoxically result in significant revenue losses for the exchequer.
Principal appraisers have pointed out that although they handle the first review, the second review is passed on to Assistant/Deputy Collectors. However, public dealings are restricted for principal appraisers, and only Assistant/Deputy Collectors can engage with the public. This setup has led to a heavy workload for principal appraisers. The newly appointed Assistant Collectors, who lack experience, often rely on the expertise of seasoned appraisement staff.
Deputy Collectors, being relatively more experienced, have a better grasp of the work, but the performance of Assistant Collectors is not being adequately monitored. Additionally, several appraising officers in the assessment hall lack sufficient experience, resulting in frequent errors.
To address these issues, it is crucial to conduct random examinations of clearances processed through the FCA. This measure will help identify and rectify mistakes, ultimately protecting the national exchequer from potential losses.