FBR quietly rolls back 0.25pc penalty on declared value
It may be noted that the FBR has taken the decision to save customs clearing agents from undue inconvenience despite the absence of any official notification in this regard.
The FBR was set to amend the relevant section to reduce port congestion and dwell time by proposing penalties. The proposed amendments had suggested that the owner of the goods shall be liable to such penalties as may be notified by the federal government in the cases where goods declaration is not filed for home-consumption or warehousing or trans-shipment within 10 days of the arrival of goods at a customs station.
For the goods declaration filed prior to berthing of the vessel, the goods are not removed from the customs station after payment of leviable duty and taxes, within three days of completion of assessment and berthing of the vessel.
In addition, amendments were also proposed in Section 83(1) to explain the clearance through custom computerized systems. For the goods declaration filed after berthing of vessel, the goods are not removed from the customs station for home-consumption or warehousing or trans-shipment within three days of the clearance of the goods declaration.
The Association of Customs Agents had proactively raised this issue with the concerned authorities at FBR and Pakistan Customs.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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