Vehicles import by expatriates: FBR approached against wrong duty assessment

The All Pakistan Motor Dealers Association (APMDA) has approached the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) against Karachi customs officials, allegedly involved in wrong assessment of duty on vehicles imported under Transfer of Residence (TR), gift and baggage schemes by the Overseas Pakistanis.
Sources said that in a complaint lodged with FBR Chairman M. Abdullah Yusuf, the Association has alleged that two different sets of valuation are being applied for assessment of vehicles imported under TR/Gift/Baggage schemes - higher for vehicles imported under baggage scheme and lower for vehicles imported by local agents of the manufacturers.
According to the complaint, a customs officer was involved in using invoices of duty-free vehicles for the assessment of vehicles imported by Overseas Pakistanis.
They said that the member of the Association had held several meetings with concerned authorities of Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) (Appraisement) on the issue. As a result of these meetings, the MCC (appraisement) Collector directed that diplomatic import prices/duty-free prices of the vehicles should not be considered and not applicable in the matter of assessment of used vehicles imported by Overseas Pakistanis.
But for the reasons best known to the MCC (appraisement) administration the decision taken above was changed and the assessment of vehicles imported by Overseas Pakistanis in terms of Appendix-E Import Policy Order 2007-08 was again started to be assessed by EO/ITP in violation of Customs General Order 14/2005, the Association said.
On February 14, the APDMA wanted to meet the MCC (appraisement) collector, who after keeping them waiting for hours refused to meet them. The directives of the board contained in the said CGO were being violated by an examining officer with impunity. Being left with no other option, the association approached the FBR chairman to intervene in the matter and to direct authorities of MCC Appraisement for acting as per CGO 14/2005 for the assessment of vehicles imported by overseas Pakistani. The matter has been lingering on for last about one month and the vehicles are kept under heavy demurrage/detention. The complaint further said that one wonders as to why the EO/ITP violating the FBR vision was posted at the same position for the four years.