The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced the powers and jurisdictions of newly established ''''Model Customs Collectorates'''' (MCCs) which would become operational from October 1, 2007. In this regard, SRO 41(I)/2000 has been superseded by SRO 967 issued on Saturday, replacing ''''Collectorates of Customs'''' with MCCs.
Sources said that all importers and exporters would clear their consignments under various regimes as per new jurisdiction notified through this notification. Collector, Customs of MCCs would carry out day to day operations keeping in view new powers and jurisdictions specified in the SRO. Under the new arrangement, the Chief Collectors, North and South would head the territorial jurisdictions of all MCCs.
The Chief Collector, (South) would be empowered to deal with the MCC of Pakistan Customs Computerised System (PACCS), Customs House, Karachi; MCC, Appraisement, Customs House, Karachi; MCC Exports, Customs House, Karachi; MCC, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Customs House, Karachi; MCC, Preventive, Customs House, Karachi; MCC Post-Clearance Audit, Customs House, Karachi; MCC, Quetta and MCC, Gwadar. All these MCCs would be headed by Chief Collector (South).
The Chief Collector, (North ) would cover Model Customs Collectorate, Peshawar; MCC, Rawalpindi; MCC, Lahore; MCC, Multan; MCC, Sambrial and MCC, Faisalabad. All these MCCs would be headed by Chief Collector, (North).
It is important to mention that the FBR has only appointed one senior customs official as Chief Customs under the reform process, but the powers and jurisdictions of both Chief Customs, North and South have been issued through SRO.967.
The additional collectors, deputy collectors, assistant collectors, appraisers, superintendent, senior auditors, inspectors, preventive officers and other customs officials would operate within the jurisdiction of their respective MCCs.
According to the notification, Collector, MCC, PACCS, Karachi would be empowered to deal with all the containerised cargo clearance routed through PACCS in the erstwhile Civil Division of Karachi relating to import, temporary imports of all kinds and DTRE scheme and export cargo, baggage, transit, transhipment and warehousing.
Collector, MCC, PACCS, Karachi would also maintain centralised data pertaining to survey certification for imports through PACCS. Collector, MCC, Appraisement, Customs House, Karachi would also be empowered to deal with all matters of imports, temporary imports, Port of Karachi and Off-Dock Containers Terminals licensing of clearing agents in the Civil Defence Karachi and other assignments given in the notification.
Collector, MCC, Export, Customs House, Karachi would be empowered to deal with all export matters relating to all matters pertaining to Port Qasim and Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, Karachi.
Collector, MCC, Preventive, Customs House, Karachi would deal with the matters relating to anti-smuggling, drugs enforcement functions, licensing of shipping agents, ship chandeliers and stevedores, sealing and de-sealing of cargo containers.
The anti-smuggling organisation, drug enforcement cell, postal appraisement department and passengers traffic at East and West Wharf would also be covered under the Collector, MCC, Preventive.
Collector, MCC, Post-Clearance Audit, Customs House, Karachi would be empowered to develop and maintain a national historical database and planning (intelligence gathering) client accreditation program, traders'''' profiles and records. It would be empowered to conduct audit of all imports, exports, transhipment, transit and baggage in case of goods cleared from Karachi Port, Port Qasim, Off-Dock Container Terminal and Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, Karachi.
Collector, MCC, Post-Clearance Audit, Customs House, Karachi would have the authority to conduct audit of all related customs and other documents in the case of goods cleared from Karachi Port, Port Qasim, Off-Dock Container Terminal and Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, Karachi.
Collector, MCC, Hyderabad would be empowered to deal with all matters relating to Sindh Province excluding Civil Division, Karachi and anti-smuggling in district Thatta and ports of Keti Bunder, Shah Bunder and Sokhi Bunder.
Collector, MCC, Quetta would be empowered to deal with all the matters relating to Balochistan and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas of Balochistan excluding Civil Districts of Gwadar, Kech, Panjgur, Lasbella and Awaran. Collector, MCC, Gwadar would have the authority to deal with the matters of Civil District Gwadar, Kech, Panjgur, Lasbella and Awaran.
Collector, MCC, Peshawar would be empowered to deal with all the matters relating to Provincially Administered Tribal Areas and Federally Administered Tribal Areas and customs-airport Peshawar; customs-port railways station and other areas specified in the notification. The customs port at Aza Khel; Tank Customs Station; Thall Customs Station; Torkhum Customs Station; Michni Bridge Customs Station; Bakkakhel Customs Station; Shabqadar Customs Station; Terimengal Customs Station; Kharlachi Customs Station; Shaheedando Customs Station and other stations specified in the notification would be covered under the Collector, MCC, Peshawar. Collector, MCC, Rawalpindi would be empowered to deal with all the matters relating to districts of Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock, Islamabad Capital Territory and Northern Areas.
Collector, MCC, Lahore would deal with all the matter relating to Allama Iqbal International Airport; container freight station Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore; Lahore Railway Station; Railway Station Wagha; Land Customs Station, Wagha; Duty Free Shops and GPO Lahore.
Collector, MCC, Multan would have the authority to deal with all the matters relating to customs-airport Multan; customs port at Multan Railway Station and customs-port located at bypass, Bahawalpur Road, Multan.
Collector, MCC, Sambrial, Sialkot would deal with all the matter relating to customs port at Sambrial Sialkot, duty-free shops, Sialkot; General Post Office, Sialkot and customs airport at Sambrial Sialkot. Collector, Model Customs Collectorate, Faisalabad would deal with all the matters relating to customs-port, Faisalabad; Sargodha, airbase; Rafiqui airbase, General Post Office and Duty Free Shop, Faisalabad.