Facilitation committee to be formed to resolve issues faced by importers: M Sadiq

Faisalabad: The Collector Custom Department Faisalabad Muhammad Sadiq here on Thursday said that dispute resolution and facilitation committee comprising of custom officials and FCCI nominees shall be constituted to resolve the issues faced by the importers community.
Sadiq said that the basic objective of constitution of committee was to resolve the issues of importers of old machinery & auto parts besides facilitating the FCCI members. Appreciating the Chairman FDPT Sh. Mukhtar Ahmad for abolishing the demurrage period for a time being he said that 1% Tax levied by the Punjab government was not in the ambit of Faisalabad custom Collectorate saying that the matter may be taken up with the Punjab government. He assured that once the examination process of container was carried out there was no need of re-examination by the Authority. He has cleared the previous 6 months cases on assumption of charge as collector custom. He further disagreed with the impression that Karachi dry port was generating majority of tax revenue. “In this regard 70% of tax is generated by Punjab dry ports”, Sadiq said adding that in case of ambiguity or complaint the importers may directly contact with additional or Deputy Collector.
He further announced that awareness session on Rebate issues shall be conducted on FCCI platform. While replying to a question regarding the Customs Intelligence he said that he will personally take up matter with concerned quarters of custom intelligence.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Engineer Muhammad Saeed Sheikh congratulated Mr. Sadiq on assuming charge as Collector Customs. He said that the businesses was already on the verge of collapse due to the multiplicity of taxes and high cost of doing business. Highlighting the problems confronted by the business community pertaining to the customs he observed that due to the 1% tax levied by the Punjab Government the importers were preferring to import their products from Karachi and other Dry ports of Pakistan, where the tax levies and clearing cost is less than the Faisalabad Dry Port.
Moreover, he referred the cases of used machinery & auto parts importers whereby the Customs Intelligence is time and again hampering the imports by undue checking and below standard attitude. He stressed the need for establishing National Textile University state of the Art testing laboratory likewise PTEA Laboratory wherein the customs authority may carry out the testing procedure in minimum time. While commenting on unjustified levy of 1% duty by Punjab Government, the Chairman FDPT Sh. Mukhtar Ahmad announced that within two weeks a protest rally shall be carried out in front of Chief Minister’s Punjab Secretariat Lahore till the abolishment of said levy.
During question answer session Syed Zia Alamdaar Hussain Former SVP FCCI pointed out that due to procedural constrains and laboratory testing procedure his consignment had been delayed. Later Muhammad Asghar, Yaqoob Awan, Haji Muhammad Abid also raised questions pertaining to their sectors. The meeting adjourned with vote of thanks by FCCI Senior Vice President Rana Sikandar Azam Khan and FCCI Shields presented to Collector Customs by President FCCI Eng. Muhammad Saeed .
The Collector Custom Department Faisalabad Muhammad Sadiq on the occasion nominated additional collector custom Mr. Ghulam Mustafa and Deputy Collector Custom Mr. Falak Shair and President FCCI nominated SVP Rao Sikandar Azam, Sheikh Ashfaq , Mr. Muhammad Asghar Member Executive Committee , Mr. Rashid Muneer , Yaqoob Awan and a clearing agent as members of the committee. The committee shall be notified with in a week’s time. A large number of importer / exporters and FCCI member were present during the meeting.