Green channel: Facility to compliant traders may be extended

KARACHI: In a significant show of support to the business community, Wajid Ali, Chief Collector, Customs Appraisement South, said that more than 80 percent traders particularly the industrial importers declare their consignments honestly; therefore, the authorities want to expand and empower the system to extend the facility of green channel to compliant traders.

It is pertinent to note that Wajid Ali, visited FPCCI Head Office, for a detailed, interactive and consultative session with the business, industry and trade community to address their issues and grievances vis-à-vis customs appraisement.

Wajid Ali continued that planning, coordination and implementation efforts are underway to progressively minimize the human contact and interaction to make customs department more efficient, business-friendly, transparent and fair. Customs department sincerely wants to facilitate trade and industry in all manners; which are practically possible and permitted under the regulations, he added.

Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has said that the business community supports the implementation of Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system in the customs department to reduce human interaction and increase the use of technology.

He demanded that traders should be facilitated through increase in green channel clearance; minimizing dwell time and full operationalisation of complaints resolution cell for timely redressal of issues, grievances and serious apprehensions – and, traders’ financial losses and costs should be curtailed.

Atif Ikram Sheikh stressed that the dwell time in Pakistan is approximately 7.7 days; which is almost double as compared to its regional competitors; other countries with similar economic conditions and much higher than international best practices – resulting in perpetuating financial losses for traders of the country on account of demurrages, detention charges, storage costs and cost of capital stuck in the process.

Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, SVP FPCCI, highlighted that the complaints resolution cell has become inactive in dealing with genuine, legitimate and time-sensitive complaints of the importers – which is resulting in demurrages and detention charges unnecessarily.

He maintained that the business, industry and trade community welcomes the plan to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) based customs valuation system – as it will align the country with the emerging trends in trade; and, will be more precise, swift and error-free.

Asif Sakhi, VP FPCCI, appreciated the Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system being implemented to increase transparency, efficiency and revenue collection – as the system randomly assigns import goods declarations to assessing officers in a Central Appraisement Unit (CAU) and keeps both parties anonymous.

He elaborated that the recommendations by FPCCI on Customs Appraisement represent the aggregate feedback of 290+ chambers, associations and trade bodies of entire Pakistan as FPCCI is the apex trade body of the country.

Hence, FPCCI offers a platform to the customs department that can be effectively utilized for improvements and efficiency of customs processes for the whole nation.

Arshad Jamal, Convener of FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Economic Services Operations, explained that FPCCI only supports the genuine and lawful complaint resolution of the traders in an expeditious manner – and, its recommendations should be given due weightage.