Chief Collector Customs South Wajid Ali said that we are bringing innovation in customs in Pakistan, for the first time, collected a historical tax. We were using state-of-the-art technology to prevent smuggling. He expressed these views during his visit to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI). KATI President Salman Aslam, Senior Vice President Maheen Salman, Standing Committee Chairman Faraz-ur-Rehman, former President Danish Khan, and other officers and members were also present.
Chief Collector Customs South Wajid Ali added that customs officers have always stopped illegal activities without caring for their lives. As a result, many officers were martyred to end smuggling.
He said that the customs department is of utmost importance in the country. Steps are being taken to facilitate the business community in exports and imports. Wajid Ali said that the customs department prevents billions of rupees worth of drugs from entering the country every year and is destroyed in the presence of media, which the department staff is commendable. Chief Collector Customs South added that help desks would be set up in key industrial areas like KATI to provide better facilities to the business community.
Earlier, KATI President Salman Aslam said that Chief Collector Customs South Wajid Ali had also served as the Director of the Directorate of Reforms and Automation Customs. He said that effective measures should be taken to curb smuggling to discourage smuggling in the country and eliminate the damage done to the national exchequer. Steps should be taken to allocate National Bank branches in all industrial areas to submit duties. Establish branches in trading centres and the industrial regions where duty-related facilities are available. A special coordination desk should also be set up for the convenience of exporters and importers, and industrialists.
President KATI said that issues related to the delivery of goods at the port should be resolved immediately. Delivery points should be set up in industrial areas, and more licenses should be issued to facilitate and expedite the delivery of imported goods. Salman Aslam said that maximum facilities should be provided to the exporters and industrialists for duty submission. This is not only necessary to promote economic activities in the country, but it will also increase the duty collection itself.
Absence of container terminals regulation body, misuse of tax and duty exemptions given to former FATA and PATA areas, delay in refunds, unfair demurrage charges, digitization and inadequate investment in container scanners, HS and PCT code, Inadequate diversification, neglect of the principle of cascading on industrial raw materials and inadequate consultation process with the stakeholders of the business community are major obstacles to the smooth running of customs operations.
On occasion, Faraz-ur-Rehman, Chairman, Standing Committee, said that an online complaint mechanism should be set up to address all the issues, concerns, and grievances of the business community related to customs. He said that Karachi gives 70% of the country’s revenue and its 70% comes from Korangi Industrial Area. Therefore the problems of the Korangi Industrial Area should be solved on a priority basis.
Faraz-ur-Rehman further said that regulatory authority should be set up for container terminals to improve the working procedures between traders and container terminals. The revision process must continue to adapt to the ever-changing commercial and industrial environment of tariff rationalization. He said that the monopoly of shipping companies that demand an exorbitant price from exporters should be abolished, which would increase the cost of exporters. Industrialists, FBR members, and policymakers should have a continuous consultation process.
The Chairman of the Standing Committee suggested that a focal person be posted in KATI for customs matters and their resolution so that immediate action could be taken on the problems and irregularities faced by the business community.
Photo Caption: President KATI Salman Aslam presents shield to Chief Collector Customs South Wajid Ali. At the occasion Faraz-ur-Rehman, Maheen Salman, Danish Khan and others are also present.