Underinvoicing termed 'a major issue'

Terming under invoicing `a major issue', Chief Collector Customs (Appraisement), South, Nasir Masroor Ahmed, claimed that there is hardly any genuine invoice. He was speaking at a meeting of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) here on Wednesday. It was addressed, among others, by Collectors of Model Customs Collectorate, Muhammad Saleem, Najeeb-ur-Rehman Abbasi, Surriya Ahmed Butt, Additional Collector Irfan Javed, KCCI President Abdullah Zaki, Vice President Muhammad Idrees, Mohammad Saquir, Maqsood Ismail, A.Q. Khalil and Anjum Nisar.
Elaborating on the issue of invoices, the Nasir Masroor Ahmed said that the invoices did not reflect true picture and, as such, administrative action was required to curb under-invoicing and smuggling which posed a big threat to the economy. He advised business community to suggest measures to curb the practice of under invoicing. He also advised members of KCCI to come forward and collectively devise a mechanism for valuation rulings.
Referring to the KCCI president's demand of having uniform valuation rulings, he said: "We agree, in principle, that valuation rulings should be uniform across Pakistan as it would help in dealing with many issues emerging due to varying valuation rulings in various cities of the country." Respond to complaints about laboratory of Customs department, he admitted that the lab was not perfect and directed official concerned to improve the standard of the lab, besides looking into the complaints of businessmen.
Highlighting the role of Customs department, he said that the department, on the one hand, is required to ensure compliance of law and, on the other, it has to facilitate the traders. He also vowed to resolve the problems being faced by traders as early as possible.
In response to a query concerning theft of imported goods from ports, he said that they had received nine complaints of theft of imported from ports. Elaborating, he said that it was the responsibility of terminal operators to de-stuff the goods for Customs examination and hand over the same to importers after repacking the examined goods. Replying to a query, he said that invoices of imported goods are not found inside 88 per cent containers although under the rules heavy fine is supposed to be charged from importers if invoices are mot found inside the containers of their goods, he added.
Earlier, expressing concern over higher valuation of goods by Customs authorities on Karachi-based importers, the KCCI President Abdullah Zaki said that such an act on the part of Customs officials resulted in shifting of the imported goods to other illegal sources which promoted smuggling through Afghan Transit Trade and, thus, causing decline in revenue collection.
Highlighting the shortcomings of Customs department, he said that no adequate equipment for testing various consignments was available at the lab, besides Principal Appraisers in WEBOC system were not reviewing the situation timely. He urged the Customs authorities to finalise its valuation rulings policy after discussing it with KCCI. He also stressed the need for a collective effort to facilitate the business community. He also advocated the need for devising a clear market mechanism to prevent malpractices. He hoped that the Customs authorities would take remedial measures on priority to steer the business and industrial communities out of present crisis.