Fata/Pata residents: Consignments stuck at KPT to be released against PDCs: FBR

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to release the consignments of Fata/Pata residents stuck-up at the Karachi Port against postdated cheques (PDCs) under standard tracker mechanism for monitoring of consignments till factories located in tribal areas.

The FBR has issued Circular No 09 of 2021 here on Tuesday, on the mechanism to be adopted for the release of consignment of Fata/Pata residents stuck-up at the Karachi Port.

A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chairman, FBR with Inland Revenue Operations and Customs Operations Wings to sort out the issues of imported goods of Fata/Pata residents stuck-up at Karachi Ports, Consumption /Installation Certificates, Postdated Cheques and Exemption Certificates under section 148 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2021.

After thorough deliberations between the chairman, Member (IR-Operations) and Member (Customs-Operations) following mechanism was devised for the release of consignments of Fata/Pata residents stuck-up at the Karachi Ports: First, the stuck-up containers are to be released by Customs authorities against PDCs and sent to their destination (Fata/Pata) under standard tracker mechanism.

The Collector Customs (Enforcement and Compliance), Peshawar, will issue detention orders of the raw materials effective from day the consignment reaches the manufacturing premise of importers.

Second, the importer/manufacturer will be responsible to take the import documents along with detention order to the CIR Corporate Zone, RTO, Peshawar and make arrangements to have the manufacturing premises/raw material/machinery/goods imported verified.

Third, the CIR Corporate Zone, RTO, Peshawar will be liable to verify/undertake physical visit as conducted by the importer/manufacturer to the manufacturing premises where the goods are kept under detention, and allow the raw material to be consumed/utilised in writing.

The CIR, Corporate Zone, RTO, Peshawar will ensure the monthly stock-taking of the raw materials to consumed in the production of manufactured goods by these manufacturing units.

This stock-taking will facilitate in issuance of Consumption Certificate under S No 151 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990.

The residents of Fata/Pata will apply for tax exemption certificates under Section 159 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 for the import of raw material/machinery in light of the Peshawar High Court, Mingora Bench, (Dar-ul-Qaza), Swat’s decision dated 24.11.2020.

The FBR has directed the Commissioner Corporate, RTO, Peshawar, and Collector Customs (Enforcement and Compliance), Peshawar would keep a close liaison to successfully implement the laid down mechanism, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021