Transit, bilateral trade: Tajik exporters given full access to Pakistani ports

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in its new rules has given Tajik exporters full access to Pakistani ports for transportation of transit trade cargo and bilateral goods between Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The FBR on Friday issued procedure for processing of transit trade cargo and bilateral goods through the notified ports under Customs Computerized System between Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The FBR has issued SRO 560 (I)/ 2023 to notify Tajikistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Rules 2023 on Friday.

FBR’s SRO notifies Tajikistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Rules, 2023

Earlier, the draft rules were issued in March 2023 under SRO 286 (I)/ 2023.

Under the new rules, the vehicles transporting transit and bilateral goods shall be licensed by the competent authorities of the contracting parties as transport operator authorized to conduct international transportation.

Tajikistan’s registered vehicles holding valid permits and are being utilized for the transport of transit and bilateral trade cargo shall enter Pakistan without the requirement of submission of any financial security for the duty and taxes leviable on the vehicle, on the basis of reciprocity, as agreed by the two contracting parties.

The Logistics Facilitation Centre shall record particulars of both driver and vehicle in the CCS and these details should be linked with the FIA’s immigration module so that driver can only exit Pakistan, if his vehicle, on return journey, has entered the border Customs station and gate-in event has been recorded in the CCS and vehicle has completed all customs formalities for exiting Pakistan.

Both Customs and FIA officials posted at the Customs border stations shall carry out weekly reconciliation to ensure the implementation of the above mechanism and to ascertain any overstayed vehicles.

Under the new rules, the procedure would be applicable on the Tajikistan’s cargo imported through Karachi Port, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Gwadar Port; and Tajikistan’s cargo to other countries via Karachi Port, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, and Gwadar Port.

Directorate General Reforms and Automation, Karachi shall generate one or more user IDs for the focal person of the relevant Ministry of Republic of Tajikistan for registration of different categories of users i.e., traders, government organizations, United Nations (UN) or Diplomatic Missions based in Tajikistan with Customs Computerized System (CCS).

The foreign entities, i.e., traders, government organizations, United Nations (UN) or Diplomatic Missions shall complete the requisite registration proforma (Annex-I), which shall be submitted in the Customs Computerized System by the relevant Ministry of Republic of Tajikistan, electronically.

On receipt of the requisite information, the CCS shall generate a user ID and password and forward it to the applicant through his registered email address. The user shall have the right to nominate up to three customs clearing agents or brokers to handle his transit cargo in Pakistan.

All customs clearing agents or brokers, bonded carriers engaged in the clearance and transportation of transit cargo, are required to receive the amount for various expanses in respect of service charges, freight, etc., in Pakistan from foreign trader/ entity in their Pak Rupee bank accounts in foreign currency, the new rules added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023