Pakistan''s customs authorities would make it mandatory for the importers of Afghan transit goods to prepare eight copies of Goods Declaration (GD) under the preventive measures to ensure border crossing of all transit containers destined for Afghanistan.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday that a new chapter has been introduced in the Afghan Transit Trade Rules 2011 of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on the GDs, required for transportation of transit goods under the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).
A copy of the GD for Afghan transit goods would also be submitted to the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation, FBR, to ensure that the intelligence agency of customs would monitor the movement of container and check missing containers'' scams. The DG Intelligence would know about each and every container transported to Afghanistan under the new transit trade arrangement. According to the Afghan Transit Trade Rules 2011, eight copies of the Goods Declaration shall be prepared. The details are given as under:
Following eight copies of the Goods Declaration shall be prepared:
Original Copy: Importer''s copy for clearance of goods at the office of departure.
Duplicate Copy: In case the goods are imported at sea port, the Customs administration at the Office of Departure shall send copy to the Office En route in Pakistan (Torkham/Chaman) which shall be handed over to Afghan Customs at the border for onward submission to the Office of Destination in Afghanistan.
The Office of departure means any Customs office at which a Customs transit operation commences and the Office of destination means any Customs office at which a Customs transit operation is terminated. The Office of Destination shall send the GD back to the relevant Customs office of Departure along with a copy of their own goods declaration filed with the Office of Destination duly completed.
The Afghan goods declaration shall bear the cross reference of Pakistan''s goods declaration on which financial security shall be released after due process. In case the goods are imported at Border Customs Station and exported through sea port, the copy shall be sent by the Office of Departure to the customs at sea port. This copy shall be returned to the Office of Departure after endorsement of MR number, on which financial security shall be released.
In case the goods are imported at Border Land Station, and exported through land border station, this copy shall be returned to the Office of Departure after endorsement of "Crossed Border" by the appropriate customs officer on which financial security shall be released.
Triplicate Copy: Afghan Transit Group office record at Office of Departure.
Quadruplicate Copy: In case the goods are imported at sea port, the copy shall be sent through couriers service or UMS to Assistant Collector of Customs at the Office En route for endorsement of "Crossed Border" stamp by Torkham/Chaman Customs along with signatures and name stamp of the authorised officer. This copy shall also be endorsed by stamp and signature of Afghan Customs to confirm that the consignment has crossed the border. The DC/AC of Office En route shall send the copy to the Office of Departure within 7 days of crossing the border. This copy shall be used for reconciliation and monitoring.
In case goods are imported at Land Border Station, this copy shall be sent to the Office of Departure after affixing of MR number/"Crossed Border". This copy along with cross border certificate shall be used for reconciliation and monitoring.
Fifth Copy: The office of departure shall send to Assistant Collector of Customs at Office En route/sea port who shall keep in his record, after getting stamped "Crossed Border"/MR number with date and time.
Sixth Copy: For customs agent/authorised representative of importer at the Office En route.
Seventh Copy: Customs agent at Office of Departure.
Eighth Copy: Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) for the purpose of enforcement.