KARACHI: After Customs Today highlighted the problems of importers, FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa, Customs Member Nisar Muhammad Khan and Port Qasim Collector Suraiya Ahmad Butt took notice of importers’ plight in the assessment process at Port Qasim.
They also warned the authorities concerned of MCC Port Qasim that disciplinary action would be taken against those customs officials found involved in corruption and malpractices.
Following its long-held agenda of wiping out corruption from the country, Customs Today once again strongly raised its voice against the incidents of rampant corruption going unchecked in assessment at Port Qasim by customs officials, especially Principal Appraiser Tariq Aziz and Appraiser Zubair. Importers approached Customs Today to take their grievances and problems being faced in the assessment process to the FBR and Pakistan Customs high-ups, as DC Athar Naveed — supervisor of PA and appraiser — failed to smoothly run the assessment process and check the corruption of the said officials.
According to confirmed information given by some cadres of importers, Principal Appraiser of Group-VII Tariq Aziz is openly demanding bribe from the importers in assessing their consignments, and upon refusing, he assessed the consignments at higher value without any evidence.
One of the importers, while sharing his views with Customs Today, said that the principal appraiser of Group-VII Tariq Aziz was openly asking for Rs 100,000 as bribe from him in order to clear his consignments and upon refusing to do so, the principal appraiser assessed the consignments at higher value.
The importers were of the view that the customs officials at Port Qasim adopted an unjustified assessment method to achieve the revenue targets assigned by the collectorate.
“The principal appraiser of Group-VII has assessed the value of goods at $1.25 without applying origin discount, as the goods were imported from China, but the customs official assessed it at the United Kingdom (UK) rate,” he added.
The importers while sharing their views with Customs Today hoped that the authorities concerned of the collectorate will seriously look into the matter and take cohesive action against those customs officials and officers who are involved in corruption.
They demanded of the FBR high-ups to take disciplinary action against PA Tariq Aziz and Appraiser Zubair for seeking bribe from importers, as they had strong evidence against these officials. They said that the FBR chairman should set an example by taking prompt action against the PA and the appraiser so that the government policy of ‘zero tolerance against corruption’ could be implemented in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, MCC Port Muhammad Bin Qasim Collector Suraiya Ahmed Butt has separately warned the customs officials that strict disciplinary action would be taken against those who violated the guidelines issued by the collectorate.
According to details, the collector issued directives to the authorities concerned that all assessment of the imported consignments should be done within the stipulated time without any delay.
Collector Suraiya Ahmed Butt further said that all customs officials should ensure zero pendency in their inbox on a daily basis regarding the assessment of imported consignments, adding that the assessment should be done as per Pakistan Customs rules and ready reference of Customs Valuation.
Talking to Customs Today, Suraiya Butt made it clear that her office doors are open for all importers and their representatives who are facing problems in clearing of their consignments.
“We are here to resolve the issues of the trade and business community while remaining in the ambit of customs laws and regulation,” she added.
To a query, Collector Suraiya Butt said that importers and their representatives can contact her during the office timings from 9am to 5pm and to apprise her of their grievances.
Responding to another query, Suraiya Butt said that the collectorate will take disciplinary action against those customs officials who were found negligent.
The Port Qasim collector further said that the FBR authorities concerned had already passed on clear directives to increase revenue collection by facilitating trade, adding that no corrupt practice and mala fide abuse of position would be tolerated by the customs officials.
It is pertinent to mention here that importers and their representatives are facing issues in the examination and assessment procedures for the last three weeks at the Collectorate of Port Muhammad Bin Qasim.
The importers were of the view that the customs authorities were not serious towards resolving their issues, and officials evaluated the assessment by considering the higher side of the imported items through following the Internet prices of the commodities.