Afghan transit rules: Transport operators must produce Customs certificate: FBR

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will not allow transportation of transit goods till the transport operators produce a certificate from Customs office en-route for receipt and cross-border movement of consignments transported 20 days ago under Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Rules.

Referring to S.R.O. 1409 (I)/2012, sources said on Tuesday that the FBR has amended the Customs Rules 2001 through the said notification. As per amended Customs Rules, no further transportation shall be allowed to the transport operator till a certificate from Customs office en-route is produced for receipt and cross-border of earlier consignments transported 20 days ago.

The rules have also explained the procedure for submission of manifest by the carrier of Afghan transit goods under Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Rules. After taking delivery of goods from the Port and loading thereof on the conveyance, the transport operator shall prepare carrier’s manifest in quadruplicate, having security features as specified by the Collector from time to time, for each transport unit.

The original copy of the manifest shall be retained by Customs staff posted at exit gate while allowing removal of the conveyance from that area. Duplicate copy shall be sent to the office en-route for reconciliation. Triplicate copy shall be given to the driver of the conveyance who shall hand over the same at the office en-route on arrival. The transport operator shall retain the quadruplicate copy for their official use.

On the day following the date of clearance of transit goods from the port, the transport operator shall submit customs port or station-wise consolidated manifest as specified of consignments to the Afghan Transit Group who shall enter the particulars in computer for subsequent scrutiny. The transport operator shall get this consolidated manifest cleared within 20 days from Afghan transit group certifying that all consignments covered under the manifest of that period have safely and securely reached at the office en-route and have crossed border, accordingly.