An important notification of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) dated January 30, 2012 to relax Baggage Rules, 2006 for Pakistani nationals having Foreign Exchange Remittance Cards (FERCs) in case of electronic items has been placed on the official website of the FBR on Monday.
In this connection, the FBR has placed the SRO 69 (I)/2012 dated January 30, 2012 on its website on April 16, 2012. Through SRO 69(I)/2012, the FBR had amended the Baggage Rules, 2006 on January 30, 2012 and now placed the SRO on its website on April 16, 2012. The notification is related to the facilitation of the overseas Pakistanis, but the same has been made public after a period of three months, tax experts said. Under the amendment in rule 5 of the Baggage Rules, 2006, the FBR has allowed duty credit to Foreign Exchange Remittance Card Holders on electronic items also.
In the past, the Consulate General of Pakistan Commercial Section Houston has requested the FBR to confirm whether the FBR has issued any SRO.69(1)/2012 on the revised baggage rules as the SRO.69(1)/2012 was not available on the FBR Website. The officials have also requested the FBR to give a copy of the SRO.69(1)/2012, if issued by the Board. In the absence of the copy of the SRO.69(1)/2012, the Consulate General is unable to verify the existence of the said SRO, they added.
However, tax experts were surprised that a notification which is directly related to the relief to overseas Pakistanis has been made public after a period of three months. Following is the text of the notification dated January 30, 2012 which has been placed on FBR's website on April 16, 2012: In exercise of the powers conferred by section 219 of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), the Federal Board of Revenue is pleased to direct that the following further amendment shall be made in the Baggage Rules, 2006, namely: In the aforesaid Rules, in rule 5, after the word "baggage" the words "including items mentioned at serial number (viii) in rule 3B" shall be inserted, it added.