Amnesty Scheme no more: NCP car dealers, owners unhappy after IHC declares scheme illegal
Court asks FBR to track, impound 50,000 vehicles for auction.
Official says it's near impossible to go after every man who purchased an NCP vehicle. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Thousands of vehicle owners in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have expressed shock over the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision declaring the Amnesty Scheme introduced on March 5 as unlawful.
On Wednesday, the IHC declared the previous government’s scheme to legitimize smuggled vehicles illegal and asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to impound 50,000 vehicles and announce bids for their auction.
Under the Amnesty Scheme 2013, non-custom paid (NCP) vehicles would be legalised or registered after a payment of duty and a rigorous verification process.
A customs official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, 17,400 NCP vehicles have been registered across the province, “Impounding and auctioning these is now impossible,” he said.
The purchase and sale of these vehicles brought billions to the national exchequer after their taxes were paid; the court should have taken the decision before, commented the official.
Some vehicles were registered illegally and the FIA has started a crackdown with the help of Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO); many NCP vehicles which were registered do not even exist, stipulated the customs officer.
“A large number of such vehicles have already entered the market as they were cleared under the scheme,” said car dealer Abdul Majid, who wondered how the orders will be implemented now.
“I don’t know what’s going on. First they (NCP cars) were declared legal and when a large number of people bought and sold them, they have been deemed illegal.”
This will drastically decrease the sale of local and imported vehicles, affecting business badly, argued Majid. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court (SC) will issue a stay order on the decision.
Another car dealer, Haroon Afridi also criticised the order saying he shifted to NCP vehicles following the introduction of the scheme and borrowed large amounts of money to purchase them.
An official of the FBR in Islamabad said they only have 4,000 officials across the country, which makes it near impossible to go after every man who purchased an NCP vehicle. According to the officer, the FBR will approach the SC against the decision.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2013.
Thousands of vehicle owners in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have expressed shock over the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision declaring the Amnesty Scheme introduced on March 5 as unlawful.
On Wednesday, the IHC declared the previous government’s scheme to legitimize smuggled vehicles illegal and asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to impound 50,000 vehicles and announce bids for their auction.
Under the Amnesty Scheme 2013, non-custom paid (NCP) vehicles would be legalised or registered after a payment of duty and a rigorous verification process.
A customs official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, 17,400 NCP vehicles have been registered across the province, “Impounding and auctioning these is now impossible,” he said.
The purchase and sale of these vehicles brought billions to the national exchequer after their taxes were paid; the court should have taken the decision before, commented the official.
Some vehicles were registered illegally and the FIA has started a crackdown with the help of Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO); many NCP vehicles which were registered do not even exist, stipulated the customs officer.
“A large number of such vehicles have already entered the market as they were cleared under the scheme,” said car dealer Abdul Majid, who wondered how the orders will be implemented now.
“I don’t know what’s going on. First they (NCP cars) were declared legal and when a large number of people bought and sold them, they have been deemed illegal.”
This will drastically decrease the sale of local and imported vehicles, affecting business badly, argued Majid. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court (SC) will issue a stay order on the decision.
Another car dealer, Haroon Afridi also criticised the order saying he shifted to NCP vehicles following the introduction of the scheme and borrowed large amounts of money to purchase them.
An official of the FBR in Islamabad said they only have 4,000 officials across the country, which makes it near impossible to go after every man who purchased an NCP vehicle. According to the officer, the FBR will approach the SC against the decision.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2013.