COVID-19 pandemic: APCAA seeks relief package for trade and industry

All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA) has requested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Ministry of Maritime Affairs and KPT to announce relief for trade and industry amid lockdown placed especially in Karachi to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
In separate letters issued by chairman APCAA Arshad Jamal, the association has proposed the authorities to set aside all review applications filed under section 25 D of Customs Act 1969 and release the consignments against previous valuation rulings till the international and local markets recover.
It urged the FBR to postpone all hearings at adjudication and appellant tribunals levels besides directing all chief collectors and other department heads to avoid unnecessary examinations and release shipments on the basis of traders profiles.
It said that the authority should also arrange online hearings for 2nd reviews and share number or IDs of concerned officers for Line, WhatsApp or Skype connectivity to release shipments with no delays.
APCAA in written communication said that FBR should issue directions to NBP Custom House branch to arrange pay orders collection boxes where the traders could drop their pay orders and bank staff could ensure collection of duty and taxes without human interaction and delays.
It said that FBR should display the name and contact numbers, email addresses of focal persons at each collectorates and communicate the same with trade bodies where traders could submit grievances or complaints.
Moreover, the letter said that penalty on late filing of goods declarations should be exempted till COVID-19 was active as the traders were facing financial issues due to markets closure and were also unable to contact abroad for documentation.
The port demurrage and shipping rents may also be waived and all shipments should also be released without port demurrage charges and container rents.
APCAA also suggested the Directorate of Transit Trade to clear all ATT shipments through scanning and added that all shipping companies should issue delivery orders and container gate passes directly to terminal operators through online mechanism and avoid human interaction at offices. Similarly, Terminal operators should also develop same online mechanism for the issuance of invoices and collection of charges.