FAISALABAD. Faisalabad Custom Collectorate has excelled in seizure of smuggled vehicles worth Rs.191 Million during the period of last six months (From July-December 2014). Addressing a meeting of the business community in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here today, Tauseef Ahmed Qureshi Collector Custom Faisalabad gave a comprehensive multimedia presentation on the over all performance of this Collectorate. He said that this Collectorate outshined all other collectorates in seizure of the smuggled vehicles despite of its jurisdiction is quite away from the national boarders and sea ports. “We are going to auction 22 out of the entire lot of seized vehicles on January 22, 2015 and the amount collected through the auction process would be deposited in national kitty immediately. He further said that this Collectorate was given a recovery target of Rs.1260 Million for July-December 2014 period. “We could muster Rs.1094 Million only with percentage of 88.86”, he said and added that efforts have already been intensified to over come this minor shortfall in addition to ensuring 100% annual recovery target for the current fiscal. Regarding imports at Faisalabad Dry Port, he said that major imports are Petroleum Products, old used machinery and edible oil. He said that import of petroleum products contributes approximately 70-75 percent of the total income of this Collectorate which will defiantly decrease with reduction in its prices in the international markets. He said that the quantity of imports is just pea nut as compared to total volume and size of the economy of this city. Touching upon a sensitive issue of the diversion of Faisalabad related imports and exports to other ports; he identified costly freight of bonded vehicles as one of the major bottleneck. He confessed that private containers are comparatively cheap and said that FCCI should immediately contact Faisalabad Dry Port Trust and other concerned departments controlling the operation of bonded vehicles in order to rationalize the freight charges. He also stressed the need for a cargo train for Faisalabad which will be much cheaper as compared to the bonded vehicles and certainly help in attracting much needed import and export consignments direct to this upcountry port. Regarding difference of valuation at different ports, he assured the local importers to provide the proof of minimum valuation at any other port and assured to clear their all future consignments in according to that valuation. He also offered on site clearance of the export consignments in order to facilitate the local exporters. Tauseef Ahmed Qureshi also shared the problems relating to the recovery of the arrears and said that Rs200 Million are lying under this head since long. The defaulters with arrears of Rs.50 Million are untraceable while stay orders have been issued in case of Rs.100 Million arrears. He said that there are practical complications in the recovery of remaining amount with a request to FCCI to help him for the recovery of this amount. Earlier Engineer Rizwan Ashraf President FCCI in his address of welcome pointed out that Faisalabad has been earning 6 Billion dollar as foreign exchange in addition to contributing taxes and duties to the national exchequer. He said that import and export from Faisalabad is declining after 2006-07 and we must identify its causes with necessary remedial steps to exploit the full potential of this port. President of FCCI was also critical of the delay in payment of refund and duty drawback claims and said that business community was already facing acute financial crunch due to the persistent energy crisis. They have to bear the financial cost of their finances lying with federal board of revenue, he said and demanded that government should either pay their refund claims immediately or bear its financial cost for the period this amount was stuck up with the FBR. He also demanded establishment of a liaison committee comprising of FCCI members and custom officers to settle the problems confronted by the importers and exporters expeditiously and amicably. Former president FCCI Mian Farhan Latif, vice president Anaam Afzal, Shabbir Chawala, Zafar Iqbal Sarwar and other members took part in the question answer session. Mian Farhan Latif presented FCCI memento to Tauseef Ahmed Qureshi in remembrance of his visit to this chamber. Later Nadeem Allahwala senior vice president FCCI thanked the guests and members of the business community for their active and lively participation in this meeting.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 20:48:57 +0000