Multiple business names against single NTN: WeBOC has no provision to entertain bill of entries

The indigenously developed customs electronic clearing system WeBOC should incorporate the necessary provision to entertain bill of entries of exporters having single National Tax Number (NTN) with multiple business names.
Talking to the Business Recorder, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturing Association Chairman Saleem Parekh said on Wednesday, that they have received complaints from some members who pointed out that WeBOC has no provision to file bill of entry due to their multiple business names against single NTN and sales tax registration number (STRN).
Sharing details of the issue, Parekh explained that taxpayers having different sales tax registration numbers against single national tax number being a proprietorship concern were instructed in 2008 through sales tax notification 530(I)/2008 to surrender their multiple sales tax registration numbers. The instruction is yet prominently appearing at the front page of the FBR web page. The amended law provides taxpayers to continue their business with single sales tax registration number against one NTN, all their other business names were merged within single identity, though details are separately appearing in the registration data as well.
Now the WeBOC customs clearance system does not have any provision to entertain any other business name, which is not appearing in sales tax registration certificate. The situation creates serious working problem for importers and exporters. Parekh said that their members did not face any such issue while operating under PaCCS in similar situation.
From September 30, 2011 operation through PaCCS would stop all over the country and this may create a major problem for all sorts of business concerns if the necessary amendment would not been made in WeBOC in line with the option available in PaCCS. He urged the concerned customs authorities to take serious note of such bottleneck in the system to ensure hassle free transition of one computerised system into another.