Customs Department is introducing "Automatic Clearance Procedure"(ACP)at dry ports and customs offices after which the registered importers/exporters having good repute would be entitled to get clearance through ACP, said Muhammad Ramzan Bhatti, Member (Customs) CBR.
Addressing the members of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Sunday, he said that the CBR had taken a number of measures to remove bottlenecks and hardships in the way of imports and exports and making the clearance system very simple.
He said that customs had contracted Microclair Company for introducing the automatic clearance procedure at dry ports and customs offices from January 01, 2005. First, this system would be introduced as pilot project in Karachi, then at Faisalabad, Sambrial (Sialkot) Multan, Peshawar and Quetta.
Ramzan Bhatti said: "Customs Act was modified and simplified and now clearance of the goods was possible in 24 hours, while we are planning to provide clearance facility round-the-clock."
"Exporters can apply for the checking of their exportable goods in their warehouses and it would help in saving the expenditure of transportation," he said, adding, "to resolve the disputes between the exporters/importers and the customs department, three-member advisory committees are being formed in the country."
Bhatti said that he would recommend to Federal Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan to issue orders for the clearance of pesticides at Multan airport.
He asked the Multan Dry Port Trust to cut its tariff and provide maximum facilities to the importers so that they could import their goods through Multan port.
He said that scanning system would be available at the Multan airport in next three months, while customs hospital and public school would be established in Multan to facilitate the families of customs staff.