Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sought exemption from Electronic I Form (EIF) for Afghanistan until banking channels are established between the two countries. Importers are facing problems in filing Goods Declarations (GDs) due to sudden implementation of mandatory requirement of submitting EIF from September 1, 2016. The SBP has made it mandatory that from September 1, 2016 no imported GD will be allowed for importation of goods unless an EIF duly approved by the concerned commercial bank is attached with it.
Pakistan Customs/FBR has accordingly implemented the directions in both of its important software system viz WeBOC and Customs, respectively. According to the chamber, it is an excellent step introduced by the Government of Pakistan/SBP for effective monitoring of imports and plugging the loopholes involved in the existing system.
Daroo Khan, an eminent importer told Business Recorder from Chaman that Balochistan is a far-flung and deprived province suffering from an acute scarcity of water and energy. Hence, business and manufacturing sector is negligible. Majority of the members of Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business community are engaged in trading goods from Afghanistan.
He said, Chaman Chamber has written a letter to the Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and sought his help to resolve this issue. As no swift code has been allotted to the commercial banks for Afghanistan therefore business with Afghanistan cannot take place through normal banking channels. Either it has to be in barter mode or it has to be routed through a third country where such restrictions are not prevalent. However, this practice only creates undue hardships for the business community and increases the cost of doing business to the extent that it does not remain lucrative and profitable, he added.
"Introduction of present EIF necessarily requires a swift code by the concerned Balochistan-based commercial banks and hence they are unable to issue EIFs resulting in complete discontinuation of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan," said Senior Vice President of Chamber Hashim Achakzai.
Bank authorities are directing their clients to take up the matter with headquarters or with the SBP for clarification on the matter. However, after the promulgation of the much talked about notification, no solution to the problem has been proposed by either of them. Presently a number of shipments are stuck up at Chaman border or at NLC Dry Port for want of EIFs as after upgradation of the systems Goods Declarations (GDs) without EIF numbers are not being accepted. "We expect that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will rectify the situation being faced by the importers," he maintained.