Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of FPCCI, has underscored the significance of the business, industry and trade community of Pakistan’s grievances with the malpractices in preventive and anti-smuggling functions of the customs departments. He has stressed that the situation can be significantly improved if human interaction is reduced in the anti-smuggling function. Daily reports reveal instances where the anti-smuggling staff unnecessarily halts consignments on their way upcountry under the guise of rechecking the containers and their contents, he further elaborated.
Mr Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, SVP FPCCI, said that the complaints about customs staff stopping consignments, which are already assessed and examined by the appraisement staff against GDs, are also duly duty paid. Therefore, rechecking of these assessed consignments has no grounds. However, suppose there is any solid information or intelligence. In that case, such checking may be carried out by a responsible officer of ASO, who should be at least the rank of an Assistant Collector.
Mr Magoon demanded that the relevant laws and regulations be reviewed and updated and that the role of clearing agents be defined clearly. For this purpose, FPCCI’s committee on customs enforcement will extend its full support from the platform of the apex body.
Mr. Asif Sakhi, VP FPCCI, has reiterated that the FIRs lodged by the customs often unfairly hold the clearing agents equally responsible for any potential crime, along with the importer. However, it is important to note that the role of the clearing agent is strictly limited to filing the GD on his license against the relevant import documents provided by the importer, such as the invoice, packing list, B/L, etc. In the event of any contravention or violation of import policy or valuation by the importer, the clearing agent has no role to play, he emphasized.
Mr Arshad Jamal, Convener of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Customs Enforcement, highlighted that when goods are stopped on the roads by customs and cleared accordingly at the importer’s expense, such as container rent and vehicle rent, why are not the relevant customs officials held responsible for taking action based on wrong information or reason?
