Afghan transit cargo: No weighment till completion of ITMS terminal: FBR

ISLAMABAD: The weighment of the Afghan transit cargo shall not be carried out at Torkham Customs Station till the completion of the Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITMS) terminal.

The FBR has amended the Customs Rules 2001 through issuance of SRO 1186(I)/2020 here on Monday.

In this connection, the FBR has directed the customs officials at the KP to ensure enforcement of the said decision.

Under the rule 484-E (procedure at the Office en-route), the FBR has specified that on arrival of the transport unit at the office en-route, the consignment shall be subjected to 100 percent weighment and scanning (subject to the availability of requisite infrastructure).

Gate-in shall be carried out by the terminal operator/Customs staff as the case may be.

According to the new amendment in the Customs Rules, the weighment of the Afghan transit cargo shall not be carried at Torkham Customs Station till the completion of the ITMS terminal.

In case of sea port the vehicle carrying Afghan exports move to the Afghan shed or designated area for de-stuffing and subsequent cross stuffing into the shipper containers.

The "allow loading" and other Customs procedures up to the loading of container onto the vessels shall be carried out in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Directorate General Transit Trade.

Any amendment in the Gate-in particulars in the system arising due to accident or breakdown of the vehicle shall only be fed in the system upon approval of the concerned deputy/assistant director at the office en-route.

The de-sealing shall be done by the concerned CCSU or Customs sealing staff designated by the directorate.

The de-sealing staff shall verify the container number, or railway wagon number, and the registration number of the transport unit or trailer or rolling stock and cross check it with transport note; check the seals affixed thereto including the PCCSS seal and reconcile them with transport note; electronic reconciliation through system and break the seal and enter the relevant information in the system.

In case the seals are found to be broken, damaged, or tampered with or there is any discrepancy found in between the scan images (wherever applicable) of office of departure and office en-route or in case of any suspicion, the de-sealing staff shall generate a discrepancy report and the consignment shall be marked for examination by the system.

If no discrepancy is found in the cargo, and there is no evidence of tampering of the container, the goods shall be allowed to exit Pakistan's territory as per procedure specified above: Provided that in case of Afghan transit goods exiting through Torkham or Chaman, and in order to better coordinate with the political authorities, the appropriate Officer of Customs shall issue gate pass in triplicate for individual transport units in accordance with the law, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020