Arshad Jamal, Senior Vice Chairman All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA), said that smuggling through Afghan transit trade has increased despite heightened security at border. He said that FBR could not only increase revenue but also root out the menace of smuggling through suitable amendments to the policies.
Presently, suitable amendment to FBR's reform process is the need of hour, as corrupt mafia has established its roots in taxation system. "No reform can yield fruits in the presence of corrupt practices and mal-practitioners," he maintained. Resultantly, stakeholders are compelled to work in accordance with manual system despite having latest computerised system, he added.
He also alleged that corrupt practices were being exercised at massive scale.
Arranged under invoicing, fixed valuation rulings and organised smuggling are other major challenges, being patronized by concerned officials and different agencies.
He apprised that no appointment up to BS-14 was made during last 16 years and lamented that no punitive measures had so far been taken against officials who promote corruption at all level. He further said that top visionary officials have been rendered idle in the present scenario and added that situation could not be improved without fixing some certain issues.
He said that unscrupulous elements were highly influential; they could fix valuation rulings especially for the items, importing in huge quantity with the aim to attract the importers towards smuggling.
Moreover, Arshad said that involvement of Collectorates and agents in self-clearance, fake import registration and clearance of industrial raw material on fake registration could not be ruled out.
"Above all, Afghan Transit Trade where consignments are imported for Afghanistan but transported to Pakistani markets through border smuggling, despite stiff security at borders," he maintained.
He said that although the government efforts to fill the maximum loopholes under Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) was laudable, illegal trade was still being done at massive scale under arranged system via Afghan border, providing severe financial shocks to the already depressed economy.
Keeping all this in view, the government has to pay special attention to protect the right and interests of its taxpayers. For the purpose, committee should be constituted for the improvement in tax system. Furthermore, he suggested that user-friendly and transparent clearance system could not only broaden the tax net but also restore taxpayers' confidence.
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