Taking a major step to expedite clearance of stuck up Afghan transit cargo at ports, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has allowed onetime waiver/dispensation for transhipment and transloading of Afghan containers which have already arrived at Karachi port up to September 10, 2011.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the FBR has issued instructions to Collectors of Model Customs Collectorates, Chief Collector Customs (North), Lahore, Chief Collector Customs (South), Karachi and Director General, Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation-FBR, Islamabad for implementation of the decision.
According to sources, the FBR has communicated the Pakistan-Afghanistan transit trade agreement decisions of the inter-ministerial meetings on implementation of APTTA, 2010 held in Islamabad.
The FBR's instructions to the Collectors of the MCCs said that it has been decided in the Pakistan-Afghanistan transit trade agreement-decision of the inter-ministerial meeting held in Islamabad on 6th and 7th September, 2011 that under the existing scenario, there is a need for putting up preventive measures such as restrictions on trans-shipment/trans-loading and partial shipment but only with prospective effect.
Accordingly, for the containers which have already arrived at Karachi port by the 10th of September, 2011, a onetime waiver/dispensation has been allowed for trans-shipment and trans-loading, if need be.
Sources said that the onetime dispensation for trans-shipment and trans-loading of Afghan containers which have already arrived at Karachi port till September 10, 2011 would facilitate speedy clearance of Afghan transit cargo.
When contacted, an expert opined that Pakistan customs has yet not given licences to transport operators, who would take transit cargo from Pakistan to Afghanistan under the new agreement. Pakistani customs authorities should finalise the licensing mechanism so that the transport operators should be able to take the Afghan transit cargo from Pakistan to Afghanistan after fulfilment of relevant formalities under the customs laws and rules on the APTTA.
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