Chairman, Customs and Valuation Sub-committee of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Ali Jangda, has said Customs offices are not accepting Free Trade Agreement (FTA) certificates produced by business community. Accordion to a report of the sub-committee, Pakistan has signed FTA with various countries to promote trade.
Muhammad Ali Jangda called for clear instructions by chief collector to customs officials to accept the FTA certificates and not to create hurdles in this regard. He said that the delay in clearance of assignments by customs was a very serious issue confronting business community. On one hand such delay causes wastage of time and on the other imposition of demurrage. He suggested that customs clearance should be done within minimum time period so that cost of doing business could be reduced and losses of business community could be minimised. "If examination and processing is required for the consignment, demurrage should not be imposed. However, demurrage should be imposed after every kind of processing is completed," he added.
Currently, he said, the consignments of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) were not examined. The chamber has recommended that each and every consignment under ATTA should be examined and taken under valuation to ensure and authenticate each consignment, which would help the customs to have its proper record about their exemption or valuation.
Valuation of goods and items is another important issue being confronted by business community. A lot of time and money of business community is wasted on such issue. The committee has recommended that there should be business-friendly environment between business community and customs officials to resolve valuation issues and chief collector must play his role in this regard.
The trade disputes with China are major problem of business community. In past months, several incidents occurred in which small, medium and large businessmen and traders lost their money, he added. He suggested that custom officials should adopt every possible measure with the help of their Chinese counterparts to prevent such frauds.
He said that PACCS system which was implement in 2005 at port terminal to facilitate business community had gained the confidence of business community, as it reduced not only to wastage of time but cost of doing business also. He said that the business community could not afford the closure of PACCS system even for a single day. He urged chief collectors to convey the apprehensions of business community regarding PACCS system to FBR and the board must resolve the matter amicable manner.