Internews
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) yesterday issued procedures for clearance of Afghan transit trade through the customs computerised system under which transit of arms, ammunition and military equipment have been disallowed.
To implement the changes the FBR amended customs rules. The notification said: “Unless agreed upon by the two contracting parties, the transit of arms, ammunition and military equipment shall not be allowed.”
The processing of transit trade cargo will be cleared for the following routes: Afghan commercial cargo imported through Karachi Port, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Gawadar Port or Sost; Afghan commercial cargo from Afghanistan to India through Wahga; Afghan commercial cargo from Afghanistan to other countries; and non-commercial cargo.
Under the amended rules, customs authorities would select five per cent of goods declaration for mandatory
examination.
“The selected consignments shall be examined 100 per cent,” according the regulatory order.
As per rules, carrier declaration has been made mandatory to be uploaded electronically along with vehicle number for processing of Afghan transit goods at the departure.
All containers meant for Afghanistan are required to be fitted with a tracking device and subject to mandatory scanning. The terminal operator and customs staff have been authorised to conduct physical inspection at the departure.
Further, the notification said, “The customs authorities at the office of departure may require transit goods consigned from or destined to the territory of the Afghanistan to be transported under customs escort while in the territory of Pakistan in very exceptional cases such as where the goods are precious or highly susceptible to misuse of transit facility.”
Under the new transit procedure, responsibilities have been fixed on transporters to carry the goods to its destination without any delay.
“The transport operator is also bound to deliver the bonded transit goods to its destination within the prescribed time-limit, using the transport route as notified by the FBR,” the
notification said.
“In case of any pilferage en-route from Point of Entry to the Point of Exit within Pakistan, the bonded carrier shall have the primary responsibility to pay the duty/taxes on transit goods,” it added.
A financial guarantee, in form of financial security, on transit goods is also mandatory to be paid by Afghan importer of goods or authorised customs agents in Pakistan.
Customs authorities have been authorized to encash the financial guarantee in case of non-receipt of cross border certificate of goods departed from Karachi or any other station.
The rules also made mandatory for the carriers to reach destination within prescribed time limit under the law. “The system shall auto-block the carrier who fails to deliver the cargo within the prescribed time,” the
notification said.
Procedure in respect of transit goods through Wahga is almost the same. However, detailed examination of the goods is allowed to be dispensed with if the seals are intact.
In case contravention is committed, as per the rules notified, the penalty would be a term not exceeding five year imprisonment and a penalty up to twice the value of declared goods.
The notification said that upon identification of contravention the goods would be
confiscated.
