KARACHI: A letter addressed to the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) by Convener FPCCI Sharjeel Jamal, has highlighted several urgent administrative challenges within Pakistan Customs. These issues, which are significantly affecting performance, integrity, and public perception of the service, have prompted calls for immediate intervention and structural reforms.
The correspondence shed light on various problems, including chronic lack of punctuality and the misuse of authority. One incident at the Air Freight Unit, Karachi Airport, reportedly found offices empty at 11:00 a.m., with officers failing to adhere to basic punctuality standards. Further scrutiny revealed that a customs broker documenting the matter was unlawfully detained for four hours.
Concerns were also raised over overreach and micro-management by the Chief Collectorate, which is said to create administrative inertia. Pressure on subordinate officers to justify quasi-judicial decisions has reportedly hampered trade facilitation efforts.
Inexperience in review assessments is another troubling issue, as review cases are frequently assigned to Assistant Collectors with limited experience. The letter urged the delegation of such cases to senior Deputy Collectors for better decision-making. Additionally, delays in review proceedings caused by excessive workload have underscored the need for 24/7 review hearings to address importer grievances swiftly.
Structural challenges were emphasized, with calls to rationalize Collectorates to reduce redundancy and avoid bottlenecks. Centralizing review hearings at the Customs House in Karachi was also proposed, aiming to save time and ease access for stakeholders.
Lastly, the letter recommended deploying Senior Principal Appraisers as Super Auditors under the Faceless Assessment Scheme to strengthen backend oversight.
With the stated goal of enhancing efficiency and restoring stakeholder confidence, the proposals align with the Government of Pakistan’s vision of promoting the ‘Ease of Doing Business.’ The reforms advocate international standards of transparency and trade facilitation, championed by the World Customs Organization.