Quetta customs tax collection up 42%

Rs5.9b collected in first three months of FY19 as against Rs4.15b during the same period of last fiscal

QUETTA: The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Quetta has registered a 42 per cent rise in tax collection for the first quarter (July to September) of fiscal year 2018-19 as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal.

The MCC generated Rs5.9 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal as against Rs4.15 billion during the same period of FY2017-18, according to MCC Quetta Collector Ashraf Ali.

“Customs duty collection increased by Rs590 million, or 39%, to Rs2.107 billion when compared with the target of Rs1.517 billion. Similarly, the sales tax collection also exceeded the estimates, registering a rise of Rs810 million, or 45%, to Rs2.592 billion as against Rs1.782 billion targeted,” said the MCC official.

“Against the income tax target of Rs788 million, the MCC collected Rs1,035 million, reflecting an increase of Rs247 million or 31%. Similarly, the Federal Excise Duty (FED) collection also rose by Rs14 million, or 15%, to Rs105 million as against the Rs91 million target.”

According to Ali, the unprecedented revenue collection has been made possible through enhanced clearance surveillance at customs stations in Taftan and Chaman and NLC Dry Port in Quetta.

Strengthening the department’s en-route check posts and speedy disposal of seized goods and vehicles through auctions also did wonders in boosting the revenue collection, he said, adding that an amount of Rs207 million was realised through disposal of seized goods and vehicles and Rs29.79 million through recovery of outstanding dues.

The collector said that concerted anti-smuggling efforts led to the impounding of 250 non-custom paid vehicles while an amount of Rs203 million was collected through seizure of Iranian diesel.

“The total worth of miscellaneous goods meant for smuggling but seized by the MCC Quetta stands at Rs500 million which is 85% higher when compared with the Rs270 million worth of goods seized during July to September of 2017-18,” he said.

Confiscation of a huge quantity of Indian-origin Gutka worth Rs50 million and buses coming from Iran carrying smuggled goods were also among the major cases of the MCC Quetta, he added.