New rules for Afghan transit trade notified

To prevent the misuse of transit trade and ensure transparency, the federal government has introduced the Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules, 2023 to keep an eye on the delivery of petroleum products as well as other goods to the US, NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in Afghanistan.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a Statutory Regulatory Order  (SRO) 996(I)/2023 on August 1 to amend the Customs Rules, 2001 by incorporating a new chapter, XLIV, after XLIII.

An FBR official told The Express Tribune on Friday that the new rules would apply to petroleum products and other goods being transported to Afghanistan.

He added that if the supply of goods to NATO and ISAF in the neighbouring country resumed, they would be tracked and monitored under the new rules as well.

The official further said only the companies in possession of a licence would be able to track and monitor the transit cargo.

The interested companies must apply for it from the licencing committee.

The rules will apply to the licencing committee as well.

The director transit trade headquarters in Karachi will serve as the licencing committee’s convener.

Under the rules, the chief collector, enforcement (South), Karachi would function as an appellate authority against the appeal filed by any licensed tracking and monitoring company within 30 days of the issuance of the order by project director against it.

The company applying for a licence would accompany its application with the details of its current commitments and status of in-hand projects; a valid countrywide licence obtained from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for the activity or category approved for; its comprehensive profile; information about managerial and technical personnel indicating name, position, qualification and experience; total number of current employees; list of major clientele; documents showing relevant experience in tracking and monitoring of vehicles and containers; complete history of activities undertaken and synopsis of the projects done; incorporation certificate under the Companies Ordinance, 1984; National Tax Number (NTN) Certificate; audited accounts of the last three financial years; income tax returns for the last three years; registration with Sales Tax Department, if required; and computerised national identity cards (CNICs) of the directors of the compan.

The applicant would also declare the fee and charges that it intended to collect from importers or exporters of the cargo and from carriers or transport operators during the licence period.

The applicant must be in a position to undertake a project of minimum turnover of Rs175 million or financial worth of rupees 100 million.

The applicant should have the capacity to send an alert on deviation from specified or designated routes and location, direction and GPS speed data for containers and vehicles.