The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has notified that the Web-Based One Customs (WEBOC) was launched on March 8 this year at all upcountry dry ports and customs stations and clearance of shipments would be done under the new system from the said date. In this regard, the FBR issued a notification here on Thursday.
The FBR also issued separate Transshipment Rules and Inter Port Movement of Cargo to Off-Dock Terminals Rules for smooth functioning of the WEBOC through issuance of SRO174(I0/2013) on Thursday. According to the notification, the FBR has directed that March 8, 2013 shall be the date fro which provisions of Chapter XVI-A (customs computerised system) of the Customs Act shall apply to all the notified Customs stations throughout Pakistan equipped with the Customs computerised System.
Sources said that the Director WEBOC Syed Tanveer Ahmed has written to all collectors of customs that the clearance of all the containerised cargo and transshipment would be done through WEBOC. At dry ports, the containers would be cleared from all the dry ports under the new system. This is a first step towards paperless operations of customs upcountry dry ports.
The training of customs officers through video conferencing as well as individual collectorates was conducted by Director WEBOC Syed Tanveer Ahmed. Director WEBOC arranged training covered importers, exporters, clearing agents, banks, bonded carriers and custodians of goods like NLC, Railways and airlines etc. For the first time, video conferencing was being conducted for online training across the country. Through video conferencing, Director WEBOC responded to queries of stakeholders and clarified issues relating to the clearance of imported consignments and transshipment under the new system.