KARACHI: Collector Model Customs Collectorate MCC Appraisement-West Muhammad Saleem has asked the authorities concerned of Appraising Intelligence Branch (AIB) to scrutinize the import data linked with the imported consignments of fabric, electronic, plastic and other raw material of last one and a half year in order to detect the differential amount in terms of taxes during the clearance of the consignments in the said period.
Sources confirmed Customs Today that Collector MCC Appraisement-West Muhammad Saleem has received information that the imported consignments pertaining to fabric, electronic items plastic and other raw materials were being released from the Collectorate during the last one and a half year on Singaporean dollar instead of US dollar, which has caused millions of rupees loss to the national exchequer in terms of differential of taxes on import of those consignments.
Sources further informed that Collector MCC Appraisement-West Muhammad Saleem has also discussed the said matter with Chief Collector Appraisement-South Nasir Masroor Ahmed and the Chief Collector has also given a “go-ahead” to Muhammad Saleem to carry out the said exercise with a view to recover the outstanding amount.
Sources said that Collector Muhammad Saleem has also convened a meeting of authorities concerned of AIB in which he directed officers to detect those imported consignments which had been cleared on Singaporean dollar instead of US dollar.
“The Collector MCC Appraisement-West also directed the authorities concerned to issue demand notices against those importers who are found involved in clearance of their consignments while declaring the value in Singaporean dollar”, sources added.
Sources further disclosed that Collector Saleem also asked the authorities concerned to provide the names of those Customs officials who cleared the consignments on declaring Singaporean dollar.
AIB has already detected massive tax evasion cases linked with ICI Pakistan, Adamjee Corporation and others which proved significant in achieving revenue targets set by FBR.