First five months of 2020-21: Customs Region (North) collects Rs8.80 billion despite closure of Sust post

ISLAMABAD: Despite closure of Pak-China Border (Sust Customs Station), the Customs Region (North) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has collected Rs 8,807 million customs duty during the first five months of 2020-21 against the assigned target of Rs. 8,410 million, surpassing the target by Rs. 397 million (5 percent).

According to the latest data released by the Customs Department Wednesday, under the head of Customs Duty, the Region collected Rs. 2,129 million during Nov, 2020 against the monthly target of Rs. 1,911 million, surpassing the monthly target by a hefty margin of Rs. 218 million (11%).

As regards other taxes, an amount of Rs. 2,368 million was collected under the head of sales tax whereas, an amount of Rs.5,335 million was collected as overall duty/taxes during the month by the Customs Region (North). The Region has so far been able to collect a total of Rs. 21,205 million as duty/taxes during the period July - Nov, 2020.

It is pertinent to mention that in spite of continuous closure of Pak-China Border (Border Customs Station, Sust) owing to COVID-19 pandemic, other Collectorates of the region i.e., MCC Islamabad; MCC (Appraisement & Facilitation), Peshawar performed exceptionally well enabling the region to achieve the overall revenue target of the Region, also covering Rs. 1,721 million as the Customs duty target, assigned to MCC Gilgit-Baltistan.

An important initiative during the period was the operationalisation of another border crossing point on Pak- Afghan border for commercial trade at Angoor Adda, South Waziristan Tribal district which has now become fully operational with the assistance of FC South and other Law Enforcement agencies.

On the import side, so far MCC (A&F), Peshawar was able to collect an amount of Rs. 211 million as duty/taxes from the station till 23.11.2020 wherein 3,308 vehicles, carrying import goods, valuing Rs. 1,014 million, were cleared. On the Export side, a total of 2,537 vehicles, carrying goods valuing US$ 5.44 million, were exported to Afghanistan during the same period. The projected revenue from the station during the current financial year is expected to be around Rs. 2 billion.

The Customs Region (North) comprise four Collectorates, ie, Model Customs Collectorates of Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, MCC (Appraisement & Facilitation), Peshawar and MCC (Enforcement & Compliance), Peshawar covering Islamabad/Rawalpindi, the whole of KP as well as the merged districts of erstwhile FATA.

On the counter-smuggling side, keeping up with the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to curb the menace of smuggling, the Customs Region (North) seized goods worth Rs. 327 million during the month of November, 2020. The performance of MCC (E&C), Peshawar stood exceptional as it seized goods worth Rs. 261 million during the subject period including NDP Vehicles, Dry/ Fresh Fruits, Narcotics, Foreign Origin Fabric, Tyres, Electronics, Cigarettes and other miscellaneous goods. Performance of MCC Islamabad also remained reasonably good during the preceding month by seizing goods and vehicles worth Rs. 66 million.

Considerable number of seizures was made on intelligence based specific information pertaining to smuggled goods concealed or mixed with other goods. Moreover, ever since joining of Javed Ghani as Chairman FBR and Syed Tariq Huda as Member Customs (Operations), strict directives have been issued to all the enforcement formations for affecting mega cases and curbing the menace of smuggling in close coordination /liaison with other law enforcement agencies through regular visits to field formations and personally monitoring ant-smuggling operations. In line with these directions, field formations of North Region made all out efforts and geared up anti-smuggling operations for affecting mega cases and achieving maximum revenue.