The Kuwait-based software supplier, 'Agility' is prepared to sell Pakistan Automated Customs Computerised System (PaCCS) to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), it is learnt. Even trade sector has offered to put up money for buying the system as it has been an 'anti-corruption' system and has facilitated the trade throughout.
Apart from adding billions of rupees to Pakistan's economy, it is completely a self-reliant and transparent system. The announced date for PaCCS shutdown was July 31, but 'Agility' was approached by FBR to continue operations till end-September.
'Agility' agreed, on the condition of reaching some contract or finalising negotiations in this connection. Stakeholders are genuinely concerned over the inaction of FBR in the matter as one month has passed and there has been no move for negotiations between the government of Pakistan, FBR, Ministry of Finance, and Agility.
Agility is awaiting a signal from FBR to start negotiations about the future of PaCCS, without involving Kuwait government in the deal, considering bilateral relations between the two countries. It might, however, seek the support of Kuwait government in case FBR continued with its dilly-dallying tactics.
One of the reasons why FBR is hesitant in moving forward, according to official circles, is that Agility is a foreign company that has been indicted in the US vs Agility case and that they want the software to be Pakistan-owned. FBR's answer to PaCCS had been in the form of Web Based One Custom (WEBOC). A system which has no approvals, no audits, made by Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) which is owned and operated by FBR and is taking customs back to the manual system.
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