The cargo clearances both inward and outward at all three terminals, which were suspended since Monday midnight after Agility Logistics a software developer of Pakistan Customs Computerised System (PaCCS) shut its operations, have been restored after 19 hours on Tuesday evening.
The move was said to be aimed at pressing the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to pay its US $62 million outstanding dues for last six years. According to sources, the decision to shut PaCCS operations was made when the Board called off its meeting with 'Agility'. They said the company has restricted its 5 technical staffers to operate PaCCS from Monday midnight, which led to disturb huge volume of import and export containers.
Talking to Business Recorder, FBR Chairman Salman Siddique said the representatives of the company have been asked to restore PaCCS operations on immediate basis, and expressed hope that the system would be restarted "within an hour". The FBR Chairman said the Board has already paid $4 million to the company on account of service charges but the company has presented a formal demand of $62 million for its services rendered to the customs authorities for last six years.
He said that although the board has not accepted its demand, it is paying a monthly instalment of $1.34 million to the company with the aim to keep the system functioning. He further said that the company has agreed to sell its software at $42 million, except its service charges, but the board is reluctant to pay the same. Salman said the board is keen to purchase PaCCS software at market price and it had offered to the company to induct international accountancy firm to determine its exact market value. Meanwhile, the President of Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), Younus Somroo, said that the system has been suspended since Monday midnight but no positive measures were taken by the Board to facilitate the trade at maximum.
In spite of generating the revenue to the tune of Rs 1.75 billion daily from customs department, the revenue body is not paying heed to resolve this issue, which has been stretching for last one and a half years, Somroo said. When contacted, Khurram Ijaz, a former general secretary of KCAA, said that around 3500 import containers and some 1500 export containers were being cleared through PaCCS everyday.
Therefore, a daylong suspension of the system has caused to create chaos at terminals besides providing severe financial shocks to the business fraternity in terms of demurrage and detection charges. He said that there is negligence on the part of FBR to take timely decision in this regard, which created an opportunity for 'Agility' to get its due benefits through immoral tactics.
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