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Faisalabad Dry Port being reactivated, says Customs official

FCCI president complains of unfair treatment of exporters, importers

Imran Rana September 21, 2017

Mobile cranes prepare to stack containers port. PHOTO: REUTERS

FAISALABAD: Pakistan Customs is making serious efforts to reactivate the Faisalabad Dry Port in order to extend maximum facilities to importers and exporters of the region, announced Chief Collector Customs Lahore Zeba Hayae Azhar.

Speaking to members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), she said duty-free import of goods had been allowed to manufacture exportable surplus and a separate department had been set up to discourage abuse of the facility.

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The oversight department has been established in Lahore to deal with the problems confronted by importers and exporters of the Lahore region.

Regarding double taxation, Azhar welcomed the proposal for the collection of 1% infrastructure cess once by the federal government.

She told businessmen that the issue fell within the purview of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and she would request the Federal Board of Revenue to raise it at the appropriate forum.

The chief collector dismissed talk of discrimination by officials at any port, saying uniform rules and valuations were being applied in all cases. She asked the importers to inform her in case of inordinate delay in the clearance of import consignments and assured them that their genuine complaints would be resolved immediately in case of used and old machinery.

She also assured them of maximum concession on scrap trade as admissible under the rules.

Azhar stressed that there should not be any harassment of importers as they should be treated equally and fairly.

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FCCI President Mohammad Saeed Sheikh said the Faisalabad Dry Port was established in 1994 for the facilitation of importers and exporters, but it failed to yield desired results due to trust deficit.

He also complained of unfair treatment of local importers and exporters by Customs’ officials and said the situation had forced them to switch over to other dry ports.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2017.

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