Cross-border movement of vehicles: FBR unveils new monitoring procedure for Customs, FC

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a new procedure for the Customs officials, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and terminal operators to monitor/check cross-border movement of vehicles carrying goods specifically Afghan Transit Trade items through Border Customs Stations.

The FBR has issued an SRO 03 (1)/2021 to make draft amendments in the Customs Rules, 2001, here on Friday.

As per new procedure, the cross-border officer (customs officer) shall record the confirmation of export in the system, after physically verifying export cargo at the terminal/station exit gate, and shall generate system based three copies of “Cross-border authorization” to be collected at the zero-line by the officials of Customs, FC and terminal operator respectively, to ensure cross border movement of the vehicle and cargo.

Everyday in the morning, Customs, FC and terminal operator shall reconcile all the import manifests of the incoming vehicles of the previous day with a system generated list that GDs have been filed for all incoming vehicles.

In case, goods declaration (GD) is not filed within 48 hours of the arrival of the vehicle, the reasons may be ascertained by the Customs for late filing of (ID including verification of location of the vehicle inside the custom station or terminal.

At the end of the day, all cross-border authorizations collected by customs authorities as well by FC and terminal operator shall be re-reconciled to ensure that all the/at requisite transport units which were issued gate-passes have crossed the border.

The daily imports and exports statements reconciled jointly shall be countersigned by the concerned assistant/deputy collector of the Enforcement Collectorates.

While, the Directorate of Transit Trade shall conduct the reconciliation of transit cargo and empty containers as per mechanism given under the rules.

In case of any discrepancy, the in-charge of Custom station will initiate action under the relevant provision of the Customs Act, 1969, the FBR stated.

According to the new procedure, the data entry of import manifest would be done at the time of terminal gate-entry.

The person-in-charge of the vehicle carrying imported goods on arrival into Pakistan shall deliver the import manifest in the form as prescribed in these rules to gate-in-officer.

On receipt of import manifest, the gate-in-officer shall enter the data of import manifest against the relevant IGM.

The copies of the import manifest shall be given to the representative of FC and the terminal operator at the zero-line, wherein a terminal operator is functioning.

After recording of import manifest information, the gate-in officer shall process gate-in of the vehicle and goods in the system on real time basis.

Filing of import goods declaration

Subsequently, the importer or his authorized representative shall file goods declaration against the Index number already generated in the system for prescribed customs processing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021