'Customs to provide maximum support to trade'

Amir Marwat, Chief Collector South on Tuesday assured the representatives of Pakistan Economic Forum (PEF) of maximum support to the trade. The assurance was made at a meeting with the representatives of PEF convened at Custom House here. Talking to Business Recorder, Marwat said the department is striving to make the Web Based One Custom (WeBOC) more familiar with the stakeholders and the customs officials are always available to resolve their problems related to the system.
He said this meeting was convened with the aim to eradicate propaganda against the WeBOC and the department is doing its best to make this system state-of-the-art in real terms. He said the department has assured PEF of tabling its recommendations before the concerned authorities for consideration.
He dispelled the impression of developing mutual consensus between the customs authorities and the PEF representatives to allow display of HS Code and valuation rulings on the system of goods declarants, saying that although the Forum has strongly recommended the same, it would only be considered in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, PEF Chairman Arshad Jamal in his statement claimed that the customs department at a meeting with the representatives of PEF has agreed to give access to the goods declarants to view HS Code and valuation rulings applied on the relevant consignments.
In response to the said decision, the customs collector would shortly issue a public notice to restrict stakeholders to file correct and complete declaration to materialise the same. He further said the customs authorities have also agreed to eliminate all lengthy procedures to obtain the user ID and password for WeBOC and now the importers, exporters and customs agents are required to get the same on the verification of National Tax Number (NTN).
Moreover, he said the authority has also decided to make payment of duty and taxes as per valuation rulings mandatory for stakeholders and would penalise the good declarants and custom officials in case of its violation. He said the Forum has suggested introduction of certificate of origin and mode of payment to eradicate fake and under-invoicing issue besides separating adjudication from normal process.