Provisional figures: Customs Region (North) collects Rs 5.89 billion in October

The Customs Region (North) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) provisionally collected Rs5,895 million during October, 2019 against Rs5,386 million during the corresponding period of last year, reflecting an increase of Rs. 509 million.

According to the latest data of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued here on Thursday, Customs Region (North) provisionally collected Rs. 2,222 million during October, 2019 as customs duty against Rs1,957 million during October, 2018, reflecting an increase of 13percent.

Similarly, an amount of Rs. 2,321 millions has been provisionally collected under the head of Sales Tax during October, 2019 as compared to Rs. 2,091 millions collected during October, 2018, which is 11% higher. As regards collection of all taxes is concerned, the North Region provisionally collected Rs. 5,895 millions during October, 2019 as compared to Rs. 5,386 millions collected during the corresponding period of last year, recording an increase of Rs. 509 millions (+9%). The Customs Region (North) comprises four Collectorates i.e., Model Customs Collectorates of Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and MCC Appraisement and Preventive, Peshawar covering the whole of KPK as well as the merged districts of erstwhile FATA. On revenue collection side, the performance of Gilgit-Baltistan stood exceptional. During Oct, 2019, the GB collectorate provisionally collected Rs. 1,270 millions as against Rs. 775 millions collected during Oct, 2018 which is 495 millions more than the previous year recording a growth of 64 percent.

On the enforcement/anti-smuggling side, the Customs Region (North) also performed exceptionally well despite severe constraints of logistics and personnel to cover the vast jurisdiction comprising almost three provinces. During Oct, 2019 the North Region seized huge quantity of smuggled and non-duty paid goods including vehicles, narcotics, currency and gold etc. to the tune of Rs. 865 millions. MCC Islamabad affected seizure having value Rs. 265 millions which is almost ten times the value of cases affected during Oct, 2018 which were Rs. 26 millions only. Some of the major cases of MCC Islamabad include: raid on three godowns located at Ganjmandi, Rawalpindi with the help of Police and seizure of huge quantity of goods including cigarettes, sheesha, F/o cloth, cosmetics, chocolates and toiletries valuing Rs. 200 millions alone. Besides this, IMO Islamabad also affected cases of narcotics having quantity 1.3 kgs.

MCC Preventive, Peshawar on the other hand affected cases of smuggled goods, having value around Rs. 600 millions during the month of Oct, 2019 which is almost three times the value of cases affected during Oct, 2018. The figures of seizures of Rs. 600 millions in a single month have never been achieved before in the recent history of the Collectorate. Some of the major cases include: interception of a Mercedez Trailer Tuck near Toll Plaza at Motorway, Peshawar resulting into seizure of F/o cloth, cigarette and miscellaneous goods (valuing Rs. 67.85 millions); interception of a Hino Truck Trailer near Toll Plaza at Motorway, Peshawar carrying F/o Cloth, Receivers & other miscellaneous goods (valuing Rs. 45.32 millions); interception of a pick up near Pak-Afghan Border carrying F/o two gold slabs weighing 4675 gms. (valuing Rs. 35 millions approx).

All the four Collectorates of Customs Region (North) contributed significantly in successfully attaining their respective revenue and seizures targets. Chief Collector Customs (North), Islamabad, Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah (Sitara-e-Imtiaz) attributed this achievement to Allah's kindness besides the untiring efforts and hard work of all the officers and staff of the Region under the dynamic leadership of Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi, Chairman FBR and Dr. Jawwad Uwais Agha, Member Customs (Operations) who kept a strong vigilance during the year and kept issuing regular instructions for maximizing revenue efforts through goods clearance, auctions, recovery of arrears and encashment of bank guarantees etc. He also expressed confidence that all the Officers and staff will maintain this level of efficiency and put in their best possible efforts to continue and strive for such success in future as well.

The Chief Collector Customs (North) further emphasized the officers and staff to ensure strict discipline, adopt austerity measures, honesty and unflinching enforcement of laws for the economic uplift of the country during the ongoing financial crisis faced by the country. Moreover, directions have also been issued to all Collectorates for weeding out corrupt and delinquent elements.