The Collectorate of Customs (Preventive) has launched the facility of online filing of Goods Declarations (GDs) on 24-hours basis. Earlier, the oil importing companies in particular and other importers in general were filing their GDs through Internet or by using floppy drive.
According to customs officials statement here on Thursday, in order to maximise trade facilitation through automation of the processes of Customs, the Preventive Collectorate has recently launched such round-the-clock facility.
The major oil importers to be benefited from such facility includes National Refinery Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited, Pak Arab Refining Company, Pakistan State Oil, Shell Pakistan and Caltex Oil Pakistan.
The 24-hours facility will simultaneously help in swift, efficient disposal of GDs and minimising the contact between taxpayers and tax collectors. Moreover, through such system, the oil companies and importers can also check as to whether or not their GDs filed by them have been downloaded in the computerised system of customs.
Earlier, in this connection, the Collector of Customs (Preventive), Karachi Muhammad Afzal Bhatti, presided a meeting at Custom House with the representatives of oil marketing companies.
The representatives were informed about the salient features of such round-the-clock facility and were encouraged maximum use of electronic filing of GDs. A demonstration of steps to be taken for electronic filing through Internet was also displayed to the companies' representatives.