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pAkISTAN’S fIRST INDEpTH NEwSpApER oN cUSToMS
Daily
Vol 1 Issue No. 187
Karachi, Wed September 23, 2015
ISLAMABAD
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he Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Secretariat expediting the implementation of cases containing FTO recommendations in order to build better coordination between tax collecting body and the taxpayers. FTO ofOicials told Customs Today that it was essential to
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increase the ratio of implementation over cases with FTO recommendations. Referring to FTO ofOice’s extraordinary achievement in this regard, they stated that 978 cases of the said nature were implemented in 2014. During the preceding year, the same ofOice could only get 684 cases implemented, they said. Meanwhile, they also stated that the FTO ofOice had to take special measures for getting its recommendations implemented and the ofOice had been concerned over the matter.
Collector Sarfraz directs employees to ensure attendance before/ after Eid
Customs Preventive recovers 60,000 liters of Iranian diesel
Bosan for timely completion of MEPCO schemes
Customs to check Afghan/NATO cargo on priority basis to avoid any pilferage
PIAF-Founder Alliance wins all eight seats of Corporate Class
The MCC Multan has directed all staff of the MCC Multan to ensure their full attendance | SEE pAgE 02 |
The ASO Model Customs Collectorate Preventive, has recovered more than | SEE pAgE 03 |
Minister for Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Bosan on Monday | SEE pAgE 04 |
The Pakistan Customs decided to check the forward and reverse cargo of Afghan | SEE pAgE 12 |
The PIAF-Founders Alliance Monday made clean sweep by winning | SEE pAgE 09 |
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FBR raids to arrest directors of Haseeb Waqas, Abdullah Sugar Mills Wednesday, September 23, 2015
National
LAHORE: Federal Board of Revenue started action against the owners and directors of Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills and raided again at their Model Town residence which is third time during one week. Sources told Customs Today, that a team of FBR raided at H block of Model town Lahore to arrest Hafiz Irfan Butt, Mustafa Raza and other directors who are involved in sugar mills scam on Sunday. FBR team takes this action under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Sahibzada Umer Riaz. The FBR team did not find concerned persons at their residence during action.
Sialkot ASo confiscates four smuggled motor vehicle engines
Efforts being made to achieve revenue targets: Nadeem Ashraf
MULTAN
LAHORE
M HAYAT
IMRAN ALI
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he Model of Customs Collectorate Multan has directed all staff of the MCC Multan to ensure their full attendance before and after Eidul Azha in order to achieve targets. The officials of the Customs House and Multan Dry Port took breaks from their job near EidulAzha and after declared holidays in the past but the operations interrupted badly due to absence of the staff. Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich has directed all employees of Customs House and Multan Dry Port to ensure their full attendance during these days before and after holidays of Eidul-Azha. Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich directed them the officials to ensure their presence in the offices. Many employees of Model of Customs Collectorate Multan and Multan Dry Port take leave before the declaration of EidulAzha which disturbs the routine functioning of the Multan Collectorate. Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich has directed employees and officials after the instructions of Federal Board of Revenue to ensure their attendance before or after Eid-ul-Azha holidays declared by government. The Fed-
enior Member Punjab Board of Revenue (PBR) Nadeem Ashraf said that the Revenue Department is making all out efforts to achieve revenue targets. He said that revenue officers are playing vital role in this regard. He said that performance of the Punjab Revenue Department is improving every year and due to this 30 percent more recovery has been made during July and August. He said that record recovery of Rs 6.50 billion in short period is unprecedented in the history of the province. He expressed these views while addressing a meeting. He said that the services of Assistant Commissioners are laudable who done a great job while disciplinary action is being taken against the officers showing poor performance. He said that training will be imparted to officers and officials deputed in Fard centers for their capacity building so that after appointment at local level they could perform their duties efficiently. He said that time of Fard centers is extended to 8 pm for the facility of people throughout the province.
eral Board of Revenue directed all Collectorates to take strict disci-
plinary action against employees and officials who deny instruc-
tions for full attendance during Eid-ul-Azha.
Donkey hides worth Rs 8b exported from Pakistan since 2014 KARACHI
AfTAB cHANNA
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ore than Rs 8 billion worth donkey-hides exported to three different countries from Pakistan since January 2014 till its ban in the recent pass by the ECC, it is learnt.
The official sources told Customs Today that these figures included the export clearance from Model Customs Collectorate Exports, Customs House and the Model Customs Collectorate Port Muhammad Bin Qasim with 40 and 60 percents, respectively. The major markets for Pakistan’s donkey-hides are China, Hong Kong and Vietnam that did business of Rs 8 billion with the exporters. And, after scandals like donkey-meat was sold out to Pak-
istani markets that authorities were left with no option just to impose ban on the export of donkeyhides, sources disclosed. Sources said that MCC Exports had asked the FBR to ban export of donkey hides, adding that 83,475 donkey hides had been exported in one and half year i.e. January 2014 till its ban. There is no restriction in Export Policy Order notified vide SRO 192(1)2013 dated 08.03.2013 on export of donkey hides.
According to sources, from January 2014 onward nearly 83,475 hides of donkey exported from Pakistan. “The number may get further alarming if data of other collectorates to be taken into account. Besides, the quarantine certificates issued by quarantine authorities not mentioned the casings have been appropriately disposed of,” it added. Since breeding farms of donkeys are not available in the country, the current trend, if remained unabated, may
endanger the population of donkeys in country. It is, therefore, proposed that the Board may take up the matter with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for its information and take appropriate action at its end. Interestingly, sources claimed that the reason behind the ban on donkey-hides export was just because as there were reports that the flesh of donkey was sold out to open markets that was also reported by various news channels.
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Customs Adjudication Faisalabad issues ONO in favour of ASO FAISALABAD: The Customs Adjudication has issued Original in Order (ONO) in favour of Faisalabad Customs field unit of Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), Jhang. Faisalabad Deputy Collector Muhammad Saeed Asad issued the Original in Order (ONO), declaring the confiscation of a non-duty paid truck loaded with imported cloths, which was impounded by the ASO Jhang, as legal. As per details, ASO team intercepted a truck bearing registration no. G.L.T- 2947 and asked its driver Muhammad Shakeel son of Ghulam Mustafa to provide documentary evidence of the cloths.
Multan Dry port cleared five export consignments MULTAN
IMRAN ALI
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ultan Dry Port cleared five various export consignments of the cotton yarn here on Monday. According to details, Multan Dry Port swiftly cleared the export consignments of Fazal Cloth Mills. All five different export consignments of cotton yarn were cleared after filing their GDs. Three consignments out of five 23085 kilogram each of cotton yarn and two other consignment were of 21896 kilogram of pure 100% cotton yarn each. Export GDs no 376 to 380 were filed for the clearance of consignment. Superintendent Export Malik Tanvir Ahmad cleared their consignment after the examination from the export staff of the Multan Dry Port.
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faisalabad ASo confiscates 1,520kg Indian cumin seeds FAISALABAD
NAEEM SHEIkH
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he Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Faisalabad has seized 1,520 kilogram Indian origin cumin seeds (zeera) worth Rs 760,000 involving duty/taxes amounting to Rs 127,731. Sources told Customs Today that the ASO received credible information through Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Faisalabad Collector Dr Zulafqar Ali Chaudhary that foreign origin zeera would be smuggled into Faisalabad. Following the information, the ASO team raided the Bilal Daewoo Cargo Service in Faisalabad and found 38 bags of filled with zeera having weight up to 1,520kg, which was seized as accused persons could not show any evidence regarding the legal import of the item. The ASO team also arrested the accused persons namely Zulqarnain Nasir, Cargo Delivery Clerk and Abdul Wahab on the spot.
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Wednesday September 23, 2015
National
customs preventive recovers 60,000 litres of Iranian diesel KARACHI
AfTAB cHANNA
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he Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), Model Customs Collectorate Preventive, has recovered more than 60,000 liters of smuggled Iranian diesel worth millions of rupees. The spokesman of Pakistan Customs, SM Irfan told Customs Today that the operation was launched on Sunday under the supervision of Assistant Collector (Headquarters) Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi. The raiding team included Khalid Maqsood, Muhammad Shuja, Nadeem Gul and Sher. The customs authorities conOiscated three dispensers Oitted on oil tankers. The insiders said the MCC Collector S Tariq Huda instructed the ASO to active their informers and start major crackdown against the fuel station involved in selling smuggled Iranian diesel. Meanwhile, Pakistan Customs is all set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to establish Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) aimed at reducing revenue losses. “We are on procurement stage. We are going to procure software for the EDI with China and the system would be launched by December 2015”, Collector MCC-Preventive Syed Tariq Huda told Customs Today. The Collector said that the EDI will help access trade documents on real time basis from computers of cross-bor-
der customs stations. The Chinese customs had given feedback and counter proposal on the technical documents, he added. In order to expedite Oinalisation of the EDI arrangement, earlier a meeting with the Chinese Customs for exchange of data relating to the certiOicate of origin between the two countries was held on February 2 to 4, 2015 in Beijing. And, this is the second meeting of Pakistan Customs ofOicers with the Chinese
customs authorities during the raid confiscated three dispensers fitted on oil tankers containing diesel worth millions of rupees
Sealed tenders sought for supply of toners
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he Ministry of Commerce has invited sealed tenders from sales tax registered Oirms for supply of toners for different ofOices during Oinancial year 2015-2016. The ministry has sought the rates of 31 different tonners with GST till morning of October 1. Usman Ghani, Section OfOicer (Administration IV), said that the company’s registration
certiOicate, National Tax Number (NTN), sales tax registration certiOicate and bank/ vendor number must be attached with the tender. While sealed tenders duly completed must reach the Deputy Secretary (Admn-I), Ministry of Commerce ‘A’ Block Pakistan Secretariat till the notiOied date. He further said that tenders will be opened on the same date at 11am in the presence of bidders or their authorized representatives who wish to do so,
adding that Oirms should be well established and having ofOices in Islamabad/ Rawalpindi. He said that tender must be accompanied by a call deposit of Rs 100,000 in shape of bank draft/pay order in favour of DDO of the Ministry of Commerce, as earnest money without which the offer will be rejected. Ghani said that the earnest money of unsuccessful bidders will be refunded on Oinalization of the tender.
Customs, Tariq Huda said. Meanwhile, Model Customs Collectorate Preventive Karachi, Collector Tariq Huda will hold press conference today (July 29) to inform the media about recent seizure of liquor. While the media cell of Model Customs Collectorate Preventive Karachi is going to organise the event of press conference today at the ofOice of Drug Cell Ghas Bander East near Native Jetty Bridge at 4 pm.
fST chairman in Lahore to hear vital cases ederal Service Tribunal (FST) Chairman Ahmad Farooq Sheikh on Friday left for Lahore to chair hearing of cases. The FST officials said that the chairman would return to Islamabad and resume hearing in the capital city after Eidul Azha. Before Eidul Azha vacation, he had to chair cases’hearing in Lahore, the FST officials said, adding that the chairman would head tribunal’s benches to hear some vital cases in Lahore.
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GEPCO to send cases of 6,826 chronic defaulters to NAB Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Business
SIALKOT: Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) has decided to send cases of as many as 6,826 chronic defaulters to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for early recovery of the outstanding dues of the millions of rupees. Gepco has given a final deadline to these defaulters, asking them to clear their dues until September 30, 2015, or their cases would be sent to NAB. According to the Gepco chief executive Zahur Ahmed Chohan, Gepco has jazzed up the pace of its ongoing campaign against the old and new defaulters in Gujranwala Division, saying that the recovery of outstanding arrears amounting to Rs. 202 million.
pM orders timely completion of Azad kashmir projects ISLAMABAD
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rime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday issued directions to authorities concerned for initiation and timely completion of projects, which he had announced during his visit to Bagh, Azad Jammu Kashmir. These development
projects include construction of an expressway from Kotli Satian to Kalyari (up to Dhalkot Bridge), construction of a cardiac hospital at Bagh, construction of a bridge on River Jhelum at Khapadar and Nullah Maldara, Bagh. The prime minister said that these development projects would go a long way in catering to the basic needs of the residents of the area and would help uplift the quality of life of the people of Bagh.
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ederal Minister for Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Bosan on Monday directed the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) administration to complete on-going schemes. The federal minister also congratulated Fazalullah Durrani for his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Mepco, which is one of biggest electricity distribution company in the country.
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KARACHI
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hief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked a Chinese company to speed up work on solar power generation project in Pakistan. Shabaz, during a meeting with Yu Yong, the president of a prominent Chinese company in energy sector, urged the Oirm’s team to expedite work on Quaid-e-Azam So-
he National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and MoneyGram have formally shared the documents for finalising an agreement that would enable MoneyGram as an important tie-up of NBP. The sharing agreement documents ceremony was held in the NBP Exchange Company. This new addition in NBP tie-ups would help to meet the demands and changing market dynamics of remittances across the world and specially the gulf market. Global Home Remittances Management Group (GHRMG) Senior Executive Vice-President (SEVP) Khalid Bin Shaheen said that in Pakistan’s economy, home remittance is the second largest source of foreign exchange after export, therefore remittances play an important and centric role in the economy and NBP is one of main and key force behind the remittances. He said NBP, having the most penetrated network in Pakistan, provides comprehensive domestic distribution of remittances to beneficiaries across the country. “A number of renowned international exchange houses and money transfer companies from across the world.
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Shehbaz asks chinese firm to speed up work on solar power project
MULTAN
NBp will tie up with Moneygram for transfer of remittances
lar Park project, Bahawalpur, which comes under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said that China was playing a commendable role in development of the various sectors of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan highly valued the cooperation and friendship of China. He said under the CPEC, an investment of Rs 33 billion was being made only in the energy projects. Sharif said China had proved to be a true friend of Pakistan by helping it overcome the energy crisis. He said the CPEC projects were an invaluable gift by the
Chinese president and the government. He said a solar project of 100megawatt with Chinese investment under the CPEC would be completed next month while several projects would be producing energy till 2017. Addressing on the occasion, Yu Yong said the chief minister had ensured transparency, speed and a high standard in the implementation of the projects which was highly commendable. He said the people of Punjab were fully beneOiting from the practical measures and the development projects executed by the chief minister.
Government claims improvement in power sector ISLAMABAD
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he water and power ministry on Monday said that an audit report submitted to the president by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) related to the tenure of the previous government.
It went on to claim that the incumbent regime had helped improve the overall power generation in the country, in addition to lowering the subsidy pumped into the sector. In a statement, the ministry said that the energy sector was in crisis in 2013. Facing a power generation deOicit of around 6,000MW, heavy industrial and domestic load-shedding, in addition to line losses and Oinancial deOicit had caused heavy losses to the public exchequer.
Further, poor management had resulted in the lack of planning to deal with heavy loads, causing unpredictable load-shedding and a burden on Oiscal resources. On the other hand, the ministry claimed that the incumbent government had undertaken major power sector reforms including improved monitoring and control mechanism, strict adherence to merit policy for power generation using efOicient plants Oirst, improving payments to
the IPPs, gas companies, PSO etc, better recoveries, lower line losses, better Oinancial management and rationalisation of subsidies. The government also optimized the performance of GENCOs and maximized IPP plants for summers. As a result, the state was able to utilise nearly 90 per cent of its installed capacity in 2015, to generate a record 16,890 MW of power. Domestic load-shedding, it claimed, was down from eight to 11 hours to
between six and eight hours. Industrial load-shedding, it claimed,had largely been addressed. Further, the government has identiOied high power theft areas by bringing all DISCO collection to CPPA. This has allowed the government to pay its bills, retiring 101 per cent of its outstanding amount to Pakistan State Oil during 2014-15 as compared to 77 per cent during 2013-14. IPPs received 102 per cent in 2014-15 as compared to 85 per cent.
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he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new tracking system ‘Electronic Monitoring of Production Volume’ for getting real time production figures of manufacturing companies. Sources said that the FBR was facing a decline in sales tax collection at the stage of manufacturing as the production was reported less than the actual figures. The sources added that system of electronic monitoring of production has the potential of quantum leap in sales tax collection by reducing the tax gap, adding that the system worked on self-assessment basis, therefore, production processes could not be monitored manually as manual supervision was not an effective tool of ensuring accu-
rate production. It is also to mention here that FBR has approved equipment which was being installed at manufacturing places. Meanwhile, The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has directed all Regional Tax OfOices (RTOs) and Large Taxpayers Units (LTUs) to gear up campaign against nonOilers and defaulters. The sources told Customs Today that the basic purpose of starting campaigns against non-Oilers and defaulter is to bring them in to the tax net. The sources further said that almost 1,000 notices have been sent to defaulters and non-Oilers in this regard. The FBR ofOicial said that over 70,000 notices will be issued to non-Oilers and defaulters in the near future. According to the sources, the FBR has set a target to bring 100,000 persons in to tax net till the end of current Oiscal year 2015-16. Meanwhile, The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is likely to share
FIR/contravention cases and Oindings of investigation of pilferage cases with the Afghan government so that proper action could be taken against those causing Oinancial losses, it is learnt. The sources told Customs Today that the cases of mis-declaration and detection of restricted goods to be reported to the Ministry of Commerce, Islamabad through FBR for intimating the names of traders to the Afghan Ministry of Commerce. In this regard, the sources said Directorates of Transit Trade Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta have been instructed to prepare a detailed list of traders who had committed mis-declaration snf those nominated in the FIRs, etc. Moreover, a mechanism would also be developed for keeping the record of images of Customs seals at Karachi Port and Exit Directorates of Pakistan Customs at Quetta and Peshawar, sources added.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2015
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Founder & Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Editor Rahil Yasin editor@customsbulletin.com.pk For advertising & subscription marketing@customsbulletin.com.pk www.customsbulletin.com Phones: 042-35781643-4, Fax: 042-35781645 Address: 627, Siddiq Trade Centre, Gulberg, Lahore
EDIToRIAL
Negative perception of economy
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he economy of Pakistan is a glaring example of negative perception where investors are least interested in risking their money without going into the details that the media reports are not always true. On another note, there are several multi-national companies settled in Pakistan for decades and have done good business even during the peak days of terrorism. The government is trying its best to improve security situation, but isolated attacks by terrorists backfire every effort, sending wrong signals to the world that Pakistan is a dangerous place for doing business. Though the country has been classified as a frontier market, but there are convincing factors which can lead to attract foreign investment in the coming years if the government concentrates on three core areas; security, energy and tax relief. According to various economic indexes, Pakistan is an emerging market or it is about to gain this status as the government has introduced various open arms policies for the foreign investors. What only needs to do is to convince the global investors about incentives the government has offered with improved infrastructure and skilled labour which is cheaper than any other country in the region. The country has bright growth prospects and is on the road of fiscal consolidation and stability due to introduction of structural reforms and financial discipline by the current government during last two and half years. Pakistan has recently signed an agreement with China to set up a free industrial zone in Gwadar which will usher in an era of development and prosperity in the country. Tax-free industrial zones should also be established in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, especially in the cotton belt. Pakistan has agrarian economy and setting up industrial units in rural areas is the need of the hour to convert agriculture yields into value added products. As a result of tragic incident in Peshawar yesterday, where terrorists hit an airbase, shows that terrorists still have the power to strike back. Economy is the ultimate casualty in an unsafe environment as such incidents erode the investors’ confidence. However, the Karachi stock exchange has been one of the world’s top 10 performers for the last three years and the volume of the economy has reached over $ 250 billion. However, unless the government improves business climate and security situation, investors will continue to remain shy of investing in Pakistan. The country has the history of economic resilience and it has always defied sceptics despite violence and political uncertainty.
potentials of textile industry T
LAHORE
DR AfTAB AfZAL
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he All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) is hope of adding $13 billion to the country’s exports in the next three years if the potentials in this sector are realized. In a statement, APTMA Chairman SM Tanveer says that growth in the textile sector will not only added a huge sum of foreign exchange, but will also create 13 million jobs in the country. Currently, the country is paying at 8 percent mark-up on foreign loans which is an extra burden on the national exchequer. Tanveer has also pointed out the increasing cost of doing business
in Pakistan because of which hundreds of textile units have been closed down. The rising cost of electricity tariff has put additional pressure on the industry which is not able to afford even Rs 13 per unit, but has to pay Rs 18 per unit electricity a month. Earlier during his meeting with businessmen, the prime minister had ordered reduction in power tariff by Rs 2.15 per unit while the textile industry associations were seeking the government to lower the tariff to reduce the cost of production and compete with the regional competitors in the international market. The exports have been facing declining trend for the last one year, as the cost of production has made it difficult for the in-
dustrialists to pay salaries to their employees. There is urgent need to announce a package for the textile industry as it is lagging behind its competitors in the region. The government has imposed Rs 200 per MMBTU gas infrastructure development cess, but has failed to implement the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Textile Industry on the cess issue. According to Muneer, the government should impose 20 percent regulatory duty on import of raw material for the textile sector which will help revive the ailing industry. He claims that subsidized textile products from India and China at import duty of merely 5 percent are available in the Pakistan
whereas the competitors have imposed 30 percent duty in their respective countries. As a matter of fact, textile industry is the biggest earning sector in Pakistan, but falling textile export is a matter of concern for the government. The policy makers in Pakistan must revisit the troubled areas to find a solution to the problem as the domestic textile industry has a potential to earn billions of rupees per annum. The textile exporters also need incentives to enhance the volume of industry in the country. It is also noted that some black sheep in the business community are only interested in rebates and they have no interest in enhancing actual exports from the country.
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Hong Kong Customs seizes 10kg rhino horn worth HK$2m HONG KONG: Three travellers arriving from South Africa were arrested on Monday at Hong Kong International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle HK$2million worth of rhinoceros horn. Customs officials intercepted the trio, who had flown out of Johannesburg, during separate inspections. It is believed they attempted to evade detection by cutting 10kg of suspected rhino horn from three larger pieces into smaller cuts hidden inside their check-in baggage.
Aptma urges pM to announce relief package for textile industry he textile industrialists have urged the government to announce the relief package for the industry on earliest basis. All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Chairman SM Tanveer, in a statement, said that the textile industrialists are planning downstream integration to add another $13 billion to the exports and help the country to get rid of loans from international donors at 8 percent mark up, adding, “An increase of $13 billion export in next three years would create another 13 million jobs in the country.” Tanveer said the Prime Minister had himself agreed in his five-hour-long meeting with the textile industry associations on September 11 that the industry has been lagged behind in the region and he had assured of announcing a textile package within five days. He said a production capacity of $3.5 billion was already in dormant while another $2 billion capacity was under a severe threat of closure in case no immediate revival takes place with the intervention of the State Bank of Pakistan. The Aptma chairman maintained that the high cost of doing business was constantly resulting into closure of textile units. Therefore, the prime minister had directed to reduce the power tariff by Rs2.15 per unit soon after the meeting when the textile industry associations had advocated for supply of electricity at 9 cent per unit in line with the regional competitors. However, he lamented that in a situation where the textile industry was not viable on Rs13 per unit, the mills have received Rs18 per unit electricity bills for the current month. It is ironical that the industry was vying for Rs9 per unit electricity while the power distribution companies have issued Rs18 per unit electricity bills.
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Wednesday September 23, 2015
Chambers
LccI election: pIAf-founder Alliance wins all eight seats of corporate class LAHORE
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he PIAF-Founders Alliance Monday made clean sweep by winning all the eight seats of LCCI Corporate Class for year 2015-16. The PIAF-Founders Alliance candidates Almas Haider got 779 votes, Amjad Ali Jawa 788, Mian Rehman Aziz Chan 756, Tanvir Ahmed 781, Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim 755, Muhammad Adnan Khalid Butt 749, Mian Abdul Razzaq 728, Shahzad Ayub 703, while the Progressive and Lahore Business Front Alliance candidates Khalid Usman got 344, Tahir Malik 306, Muhammad Irshad Chaudhry 319, Chaudhary Ali Akbar 299, Muhammad Mansoor Dilawar 337, Muhammad Nawaz 278, Naeem Anwar 289 and Tariq Siddiq got 261votes. Mian Muzaffar Ali, Shahzad Azam Khan, and Haroon ShaOiq Chaudhry were the elections commissioners. In the second phase, polling for seven seats of Associate Class will
be held on September 22 (today) and 7800 voters will use their
right of vote. The Oinal results will be an-
govt fails to implement ban on jute, polypropylene bags KARACHI
Hosiery manufacturers elect Qamar Aftab as chairman of association amar Aftab has been was elected Chairman of the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association, while Zia ur Rehman Chaudhry has been elected as Senior Vice Chairman and Abdul Hameed as Vice Chairmen. The results of elections were announced in the annual general meeting of the association held in Sialkot. The newly-elected members of Central Executive Committee include Shahzad Saleem Asghar, Syed Hassan Masood Zaidi, Dr Khurram Tariq, Shahid Ahmed Sheikh, and Faisal Mehboob Sheikh. Members elected on Zonal Committee include Adil Butt, Mohammad Zubair Sheikh.
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he cotton association has said that the excessive use of jute bags is damaging quality of cotton. A senior member of Karachi Cotton Association and member of Pakistan Yarn Merchant Association alleged that the government has failed to implement the ban on the use of jute and polypropylene bags for the transportation of seed cotton. Ghulam Rabbani said that a large quantity of raw lint is still being
nounced on September 30 in scheduled Annual General Meeting.
packed in material detrimental to the quality and moister of the stuff. Cotton can fetch better price in the international market if the problem
of contamination in raw crop, use of polypropylene bags and standardised system for production is fully implemented, he added.
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Europrim Shipping appoints CEE network for Romania Wednesday September 23, 2015
World
BUCHAREST: Europrim Shipping, part of the larger Europrim Group, was established in 2005 as a Romanian freight forwarder focused on delivering high quality logistics and transportation services to the local and international trading community. The company has been appointed as member to the Cargo Equipment Experts CEE network for Romania. Operating an AEO-certified 2,500-square-meter indoor storage capacity warehouse located in the Agigea free zone — a walking distance from the Constanta South Container Terminal — Europrim Shipping offers its customers storage and cargo handling services at European standards. The warehouse is managed by qualified personnel operating equipment that can lift pallets and general cargo, as well as containers, project cargo and oversized pieces.
Russian diamond exports fall by Dubai Exports leads 36 companies at world 16% to $2.13b in H1 of 2015 food Moscow in Russia
MOSCOW
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ussia’s rough diamond exports fell 16 percent year on year to $2.13 billion in the Oirst half of 2015, Itar-Tass reported citing the country’s Ministry of Finance. By volume, exports declined 10 percent to 17.83 million carats. Rough imports rose 70 percent to $46.5 million as volume more than tripled to 28,000 carats. Russia was the world’s largest diamond producer in 2014, outranking Botswana in the Kimberley Process data recently published. The country’s diamond production rose 8.3 percent to 18.5 million carats in the first six months of 2015, according to the treasury, with the value of production up 22 percent to $2 billion. The ministry reported that the average price of production increased 13 percent to
Singapore customs fines two importers for gST evasion wo men have been fined for fradulently evading Goods and Service Taxes (GST) on items they had imported. Both had under-declared the value of their goods in fake invoices submitted to Singapore Customs. PassionKites owner Tan Ting Sin, 29, was fined $96,667.45 last Thursday. He had imported electric scooters and accessories from China on 48 occasions between last August and this April, and avoided paying more than $81,000 in GST by faking invoices. Tan pleaded guilty to 15 charges, with another 33 charges taken into consideration during sentencing. In a similar case, Twelvebox Enterprise director Ku Jin Hao, 28, was fined $156,000 earlier this month for under-declaring the value of pool tables, cameras, and camera accessories he had imported from Hong Kong, Japan, and China.
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$109.13 per carat. Interfax explained that the estimate is based on Finance Ministry pricing which does not correspond with market prices but rather follows the insurance value of the diamonds. ALROSA, which accounts for the bulk of Russia’s diamond production, recently reported that its production grew 13 percent to 18 mil-
lion carats in the first half of the year, while the average price of its sales fell 6 percent since the beginning of the year. The company since reduced prices by 8 percent to 10 percent and allowed its clients to defer 50 percent of their allocated supply at the September sale that took place last week.
chinese customs seizes 89,900 anion generators
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ecently, Jiuzhou Customs House (affiliated to Gongbei Customs District) seized 89,900 anion generators, suspected of infringing “RU figure” trademark right. These infringing goods are worth USD 8,990. On July 15, a company from Zhuhai declared to Jiuzhou Customs House for export of 89,900 anion generators.
The Customs officers inspected the goods and found them with the “RU figure” mark, which are suspected of infringing on American Underwriter Laboratories Inc.’s trademark right registered with the General Administration of Customs of China. After contacting with the IPR holder by Customs, the goods were finally identified to be the infringing ones.
ubai Exports, the export promotion agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, recently organised a Oive-day trade mission to Russia along with 36 UAE companies from diverse sectors. During the mission, Dubai Exports led 18 UAE companies from the foods sector to participate in the UAE pavilion at World Food Moscow, one of the leading international exhibitions for the food trade. Camelicious, for Camel Milk & Products, and “Agthia” were among the notable UAE participants at the World Food Moscow this year. As part of the mission, Dubai Exports also hosted business forums and bilateral meetings in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, with the support of the Union of Russian Chambers of Commerce. Participants explored prospects for co-operation in investment and trade between companies from the UAE and Russia in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, construction materials, cos-
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metics, food, detergents, and consumer products. His Excellency Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General of DED who led the mission, said: “The UAE and Russia have been maintaining strong relations across various Oields. The Dubai Exports trade mission and business forums held in Moscow and Saint Petersburg was part of ongoing efforts by the Department of Economic Development and its agencies to support local companies to leverage the trade and investment environment in the emirate for expanding their operations and products, regionally and globally.” The business forum held in Moscow was attended by a large number of Russian businesses and senior ofOicials of the Union of Russian Chambers of Commerce as well as representatives of investment agencies and local institutions. The forum saw productive exchanges regarding co-operation between the private sectors in both countries, economic prospects as well as legal and customs requirements governing exports. The Saint Petersburg forum also attracted a high level of attention from the local business community.
US federal budget to increase by $1.5 trillion labama’s senators and representatives have to answer this question between now and Sept. 30. By the end of the month, they must pass a federal funding bill for the next year or face a possible government shutdown. Unfortunately, a growing number want a budget that abandons the modest, bipartisan spending
levels Congress established four years ago. They will break their promise to their constituents if they succeed. They made this promise to taxpayers in Alabama and everywhere else in America in 2011, when bipartisan majorities in Congress joined with President Obama to pass the “Budget Control Act.”
S Arabia crude oil exports plunge 7.276m bpd in July
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JEDDAH
cUSToMS BULLETIN REpoRT www.customsbulletin.com
audi Arabia’s crude oil exports in July fell to 7.276 million barrels per day from 7.365 million bpd in June, ofOicial data showed. Monthly export Oigures are provided by Riyadh and other members of the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) to the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI), which published them on its website. OPEC member Kuwait said recently that it would take time for the oil market to balance itself, indicating the group would continue defending market share despite production cuts to bolster prices. Other OPEC sources said they expect oil to rise no more than $5 a
barrel per year to reach $80 by 2020. Oil prices fell on Friday, with US crude down about 3 percent, as investors and traders waited to see if the US oil rig count will drop further while OPEC members indicated they would do little to slash output. “With US output shifts still very much under the microscope, today’s oil rig counts could be a key determinant as to how the
complex finishes this week,” said Jim Ritterbusch, analyst at Ritterbusch & Associates, an oil markets advisory in North Wabash, Chicago. “We expect another decline but one downsized from recent double digit decreases,” he added. US crude futures were down $1.20, or 2.6 percent, at $45.70 a barrel on Friday.
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BD warns maritime ports as low formed in Bay of Bengal DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday warned all maritime ports as a low formed in the Bay of Bengal causing moderate rain in many parts of the country, according to meteorological department. Squally weather may affect northern part of the bay and adjoining coastal area of Bangladesh and the maritime ports, said the department in a bulletin. Assistant director of Met office Sanaul Haque said maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal no. three. All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been asked to come close to the coast and proceed with caution until further, he added. Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at most places over Khulna, Barisal, Dhaka.
India’s palm oil imports likely to climb around 4%
Ports & Shipping
crude oil ready for export from Zueitina port after 5 months
MUMBAI www.customsbulletin.com
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Rotterdam inks deal to build new Indonesian port he Port of Rotterdam Authority has signed a partnership agreement with the Indonesian Port Corporation Pelindo I for the development of a new deep sea port at Kuala Tanjung. Kuala Tanjung is in the North Sumatra city of Medan and is a key project in Indonesia’s national maritime strategy that involves the building of 35 ports across the vast archipelago in the next five years. The Rotterdam authority will now carry out a feasibility study for the new port together with Pelindo I. A project organisation will be created for this purpose that will include a number of the port authority’s employees locally and based in Rotterdam.
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121 projects worth €25b to be offered to investors at Iran transport summit ranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi says 121 projects, worth €25 billion, will be offered to investors at the first Iran Transportation and Urban Development Summit (ITUDS), which will be held from October 3-4 in Tehran . Akhoundi made the statement in a press conference in Tehran on Sunday. He said the investment opportunities will be introduced in the eight sectors of rail transportation, road transportation, air transportation, marine transportation, urban development, energy saving, port industry, and airport industry. The projects are planned to be financed through four methods of BOT (build–operate–transfer), BLT (build– lease–transfer), leasing and lease purchase, the minister stated. He said these projects will be offered in one stage and the ministry plans to offer a number of projects to the foreign investors in another stage. The official mentioned some of the projects to be offered to the participants in the summit as 35 projects for development of new towns, 3 projects for development of Imam Khomeini International Airport and 23 projects for construction of airport terminals, as well as 6 rail projects, 5 highway projects, 3 road maintenance projects, 22 marine projects and 3 urban development projects. In terms of attracting foreign investment in the country’s air sector, Akhoundi said: “We have negotiated with many reputable foreign companies.
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cUSToMS BULLETIN REpoRT ndia’s palm oil imports are likely to climb around 4 percent to 8.25 million tonnes in the marketing year starting November as poor monsoon rains curb growth in local edible oil supplies amid a rise in consumption, a veteran trader said on Friday. Higher purchases by India, the world’s top importer of cooking oils, could support benchmark Malaysian palm oil futures that hit a five-year low earlier this month and have shed almost a fifth of their value so far in 2014. “Edible oil consumption is likely to rise to a record 19.3 million tonnes next year, even with conservative estimates for growth in demand,” said Govindbhai Patel, an influential trade expert and managing director at GG Patel & Nihil Research Co. “Considering consumption growth, we need to import 12.1 million tonnes of edible oils next year.
Wednesday September 23, 2015
DOHA
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fter more than a Oive-month disruption, a crude oil cargo could be ready for export from Zueitina port and is awaiting permission from the authorities, ac-
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cording to an ofOicial at Harouge Oil. “There are one million barrels of oil ready to pump from three oilOields: AGOCO’s Nafoora Oield, Wintershall’s Oield and Harouge’s Amal Oield,” the ofOicial was quoted by Akhbar Libya saying. The source added that after nearly a half-year interruption pumping operations from the trio would begin shortly in line with de-
mand at the oil terminal. The stoppage began when a group of job seekers staged a sit-in. Before the latest closure, Zueitina had resumed exporting oil in February after another year-long suspension. Oil Oields has stopped pumping to Zueitina because tanks there and at Field 103 used as a transit depot, were full.
336 ships transited Suze Canal last week ew data from the Suez Canal has revealed that a total 336 ships transited the canal last week, carrying a total cargo of 19.5m tonnes. The average number of ships transiting the canal daily reached 48 throughout last week, with average cargos amounting to 2.8m tonnes per day, whereas the average cargo per ship reached 58,000 tonnes. The largest cargo
held within one ship transiting Suez Canal last week reached 200,000 tonnes. A total of Oive other separate container ships belonging to Danish company, Maersk, carried the same tonnage. The tonnage of cargo is the main criterion in calculating the growth of marine trafOic in the Suez Canal, where transit fees are calculated according to cargo size. The number of ships transiting
the canal from the northern direction reached 147 ships, representing a daily average of 21 ships, totalling 8.1m tonnes in cargo, or a daily average of 1.2m tonnes. The number of ships that transited the canal from the southern direction reached almost 189 ships, or a daily average of 27 ships. This amounted to a total cargo of 11.4m tonnes over the week.
1,000 unpaid workers strike at chinese shipyard
M BEIJING
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ore than 1,000 workers at a shipbuilding yard in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu are on strike over unpaid wages, workers told RFA, as the industrial action entered its third day. Around one-Oifth of the 5,000strong workforce at the SinopaciOic-
owned shipyard in Jiangsu’s Dayang city walked out on Wednesday, saying they are owed three months’ wages by management, striking workers said. The workers had gathered outside the factory gates, warily watched by security guards, but no clashes had taken place by Friday morning, a worker surnamed Tang said. “There are about a dozen security guards here, but they won’t
move in, and we won’t attack them,” Tang said. “There hasn’t been any violence, and I certainly wouldn’t get involved in that; we just want our wages,” he said. “We haven’t blocked any trafOic, either. We are just outside the inner gates and they won’t let us in, and they won’t let us out.” Tang said the factory was widely believed to be in Oinancial difOiculties. “The factory has no money and
they owe us wages, which they are supposed to pay every month on the 25th, but then it never lands,” he said. “This has been going on for three-and-a-half months. I think that if we don’t get it by Monday, the whole place will be blocked up [by striking workers],” Tang said. But a second striking worker surnamed He said the workers had been negotiating with management over an interim compromise.
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FBR seek details of recovery cases on priority basis KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) decided to pursue cases pertaining to tax recovery, short payment speedily as these cases involves billions of rupees. Sources of Regional Tax Office-II told Customs Today, that FBR seeks details from all of its departments in this regard. Sources said that after initial investigations into these cases several persons were arrested. Now FBR directed all of its Field Formations offices to prepare list of these cases of along with amount details, and stage of case separately.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
CUSTOMS BULLETIN
Customs to check Afghan/NATO cargo on priority basis to avoid any pilferage KARACHI
AfTAB cHANNA
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he Pakistan Customs decided to check the forward and reverse cargo of Afghan, US, ISAF and NATO cargo on priority basis in a bid to avoid any major cargo pilferage in future, it is learnt. The decision in this regard has been made in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Director General Transit Trade Muhammad Javed Ghani. The meeting was also attended by Director Transit Trade Peshawar Dr Naeem Khan, Director Transit Trade Quetta Pervez Esbahani, Director Transit Trade Karachi Wajid Ali, Deputy Director Transit Trade Karachi Dr M Mumtaz Ali Raza Ch, Deputy Director Transit Trade Quetta Amanullah Tareen and Deputy Director Transit Trade Karachi Shoaib Raza. The sources told Customs Today that the Directorates of Transit Trade Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta would now reconcile the forward and reverse Afghan commercial, US, ISAF and NATO cargo on priority basis. The meeting also discussed in detail the issue of applicability of the term ‘Cross Border CertiOicate’ under the
WeBOC system, sources said. Now, the currency of term Cross Border CertiOicate would be examined with
reference to the legal provision governing clearance of transit through WeBOC, the sources added.
According to sources, the Directorates of Transit Trade Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta instructed to
maintain close coordination with each other to perform the reconciliation process of cargo etc on priority basis.
Delegation of customs agents meets Transit Trade DG PESHAWAR
NADIR kHAN
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delegation of Frontier Customs Agent Groups have met with Director General (DG) Transit Trade Pakistan Javed Ghani and congratulated him for assuming the charge. In order to end the monopoly of bonded career, activate the current tracking system and ensure safe supply of the containers.
The delegation was comprised of President of Custom Agent Group Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Vice Chairman (VC) all Pakistan Customs Agent Association Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, Afghan trader groups President Haji Gul Afzal Shinwari , General Secretary (GS) Farooq Ahmad and member of the executive committee Ashtiaq Ahmad. The delegation met with newly appointed DG in Directorate of transit trade custom House Peshawar where regional Director Sardar Ali was also present on the occasion. he delegation congratulated the newly appointed DG and appreci-
ated him for being the Oirst DG who visited Peshawar transit directorate. The delegation appraised the DG regarding problems being faced to traders and demanded to end the monopoly of bonded careers and make them liable to ensure safe supply of goods. They also demanded activation of current tracking system as it receiving the fee while its performance is very poor. They also demanded repairing of the canning machine in Karachi port as during clearance and examination process it causing difOiculties. They further said that gov-
ernment must allow partial shifting and in order to make changes in documents easily, government allow shipping line to bring amendment in manifest rules. They also requested to allow goods of Afghan transit trade to load with LCL cargo through Pakistan railway and end FBR SRO121 for the purpose to bring load cargo through train. This service will greatly support Pakistan railway in head of revenue. They regretted that 70 percent of transit trade activities have been shifted from Fort Qasim to Chabahar and Bandar Abas port of Iran
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which has greatly affected the export of Pakistani goods. He said due to these variation in trade activities, Pakistan railway suffered losses of 12 billion annually, which led to unemployment of hundred of custom agents, clearing agents and border agents. They said that government should review the decision and should restore the transit trade rout through Karachi Port. On this occasion DG transit trade thanked the delegation and assured to resolve their problems on emergency basis to improve the export and customs service via afghan transit routs.