Following negotiations with the trade and service providers, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to hold the introduction of Web Based One Custom (WeBOC) system at Pakistan International Container Terminal PICT) for the next 15 days. According to sources, the board had earlier decided to introduce WeBOC at PICT by December 16, 2011 midnight but FBR Chairman Salman Siddiq after deliberations with the stakeholders had stopped implementing the said decision for next 15 days.
Meanwhile, the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA) has also expressed concern over the said decision, saying that the order came in surprise as it was principally agreed at the time of launching WeBOC at Port Qasim that it will not rolled out till the system could start working in true spirit of automation.
The association said that most of the traders, who were importing the goods at PICT and KICT, have still not acquired the User I.D and password. This will only generate the demurrage and container rent and production loss as well. The export of the country will be affected adversely as a matter of fact WeBOC is working only as a data entry system and not an automation system.
The association also alleged the authority for not implementing its decisions, saying that many decision taken by the chairman and member customs FBR for betterment of WeBOC are still fallen into abeyance with the best reason known to the authority. It requested to FBR that the service providers are not against the software until is implemented in the spirit of automation as there are still many hurdles in the software and starting this system at PICT will only add difficulties to trade and service providers at this stage.