Clearance of import, export consignments: Traders facing unnecessary delays

KARACHI: Traders are reportedly facing unnecessary delays in the clearance of import and export consignments due to shortage of staff, incurring additional cost to them. According to the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), import and export consignments at the Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement and Facilitation of East, West, AFU Port Qasim and Exports are facing unnecessary delays due to shortage of staff at the customs stations.

It said that the appraisement staff was quite busy attending file work, PRV, AIB, RND, audit, FTO, tribunal and hearings in the court of law on a regular basis hence most of the goods declarations remained in queue for two to three days before being assigned to the appropriate officers if the same goods declaration mark for examination.

Thereafter it takes two to three days more for grounding and examination. After examination it takes another two to three days for the goods declaration to be opened by the assessment officer, it maintained.

The KCAA said that there was only one examiner posted at all the three sheds at the Air Freight Unit (AFU) causing severe delays for clearance of air consignments which were often urgent in nature.

It said that the ACs/DCs concerned were overburdened by multiple charges and were busy with file work and were unable to pay attention to group monitoring and hearing.

Following the devaluation in the currency, most of the imported items were raw material for subsequent exportation after processing, it said and added that if the issue related to the shortage of staff was not addressed, it might result in the loss of export orders.

The KCAA suggested to the authorities concerned to exercise the powers of Section 203 of the Customs Act 1969 and increase free period time for import consignments because due to late completion of goods declaration, traders were suffering unnecessary heavy losses in terms of demurrages and detentions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021