ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has amended the International Transshipment Rules for speedy clearances at ports and allocated a temporary storage facility to international transshipment cargo units at Port Qasim Authority, Karachi, in the wake of the prevailing emergency and war-like situation in the Gulf region.
According to S.R.O. 518 (1)/ 2026 issued by the FBR on Wednesday, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-Section (1) of Section 78 of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), the FBR has authorized M/s DP World (QICT), Karachi, for the temporary storage of international transshipment cargo units at the berth backup area situated at Plot No SP-05 measuring 16.9 acres in the North Eastern Industrial Zone, Port Qasim Authority, Karachi, following the emergency and war-like situation in the Gulf region.
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The FBR on Wednesday issued S.R.O. 517(I)/ 2026 to further amend the International Transshipment Rules.
The Board has directed the shipping lines/ airlines to pay duty and taxes in cases of any pilferage or mis-declarations of international transshipment goods. In case of any pilferage or mis-declaration, the shipping line/ airline shall be responsible for payment of duty and taxes or any liability as determined by the Customs.
The TO/ Off Dock Terminal (ODT), GHA-Ground Handling Agents shall also be liable for payment of duty and taxes and any other liability, as determined by the Customs, in case of pilferage or replacement of IT goods under their custody, it said.
The rules stated that international transshipment goods manifested for Off Dock Terminals and Airports shall be moved under Inter-port Movement Rules (Sub-Chapter XV) of the Customs Rules 2001, in the Customs Computerized System, subject to 100percent scanning. In case any discrepancy is found in scanning against the declaration in the manifest, 100 percent physical examination of that IT cargo shall be carried out by the Customs before Gate Out from the port area.
In case of major discrepancies, Customs shall initiate legal proceedings against the respective Shipping line/ airline. Physical examination may also be conducted by Customs on the basis of risk parameters. The movement of international transshipment goods from ODTs to seaport /airport for the foreign destination shall also be scanned at the time of entry into that port/ airport and shall be under Inter Port Movement Rules (sub-chapter XV) in the Customs Computerized System.
The rules added that the IT cargo shall only be allowed to be stored in those ODTs which comply with the legal requirements as laid down under Rule 554 of Customs Rules 2001, the rules said.
The respective Chief Collector having jurisdiction may, after coordination with the relevant field formations and giving a notice of three days, discontinue the movement of IT cargo to/ from ODTs/ GHAs if it is found that such movement is causing hurdles in the smooth clearance of cargo destined for Pakistan. The Chief Collector may also discontinue such movements to/ from/ by a specific ODT/ GHA/ shipping or airline, if it is found that they are involved in any violation of the rules or law while processing or holding such IT cargo. The TOs/ ODTs/ GHAs shall submit a monthly reconciliation report of IT cargo received, stored, and trans-shipped to destination countries to the respective Collectorate of Customs before the 5th day of the next month, the revised rules added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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