The business community has urged the government to reduce the import duty on all those products/items which are being smuggled into Pakistan. The market sources said if the cost of import is reduced by slashing import duty, it would help check illegal trade; as difference between the price of smuggled and imported goods would be diminished.
Presently, the smuggling of different goods including cloth, tea, tyres & tubes, Iranian diesel, polyethylene HDPE (Plastic Dana), cigarettes, electronic goods, non-duty paid/ smuggled vehicles, generators and auto parts are causing loss of about Rs 275 billion annually to the national exchequer. At this time this big revenue is going in the pockets by illegal resources. The reduction in the import duty would not only enable the importers to compete with the smuggled goods but would also help improve government revenue besides providing protection to the indigenous industry, the sources added.
The sources further asked the government to make the import process more easy and simple. The importers should be facilitated with regard to submission of registration forms to the dry ports suit to them. The present process of Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) registration for importers has been made very difficult which is not only causing delay but also causing corruption. It is suggested that the verification officer should send such cases to verify premises and other matters to the concerned office of Regional Tax Office who must be bound to respond within two days. Similarly, after receiving the verification, the registration certificate must be issued within 24 hours.