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Daily

Vol 1 Issue No. 188

Karachi, Thu September 24, 2015

KARACHI

AFTAB CHANNA

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ollector, Customs Collectorate of Adjudication-II, Chaudhary Javed has said that the work distribution of his collectorate should be revisited so that workload be equally distributed.

During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, the collector said that

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adjudication collectorate was yet working on the same pattern as it was doing in 2012. “The collectorates was formed in 2012, replacing the PACCS into the Appraisement East, West and Export.

However, the adjudication remained the same,” he said. “I have written to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) with a request to amend the respective SRO so that the adjudication work should be properly distributed among the ofSicials,” the collector added.

Hyderabad Customs Intelligence confiscates tyres, plastic rolls worth

FBR directs Customs officials to work in close liaison with border

Govt urged to work for boosting exports

Customs to check Afghan/NATO cargo on priority basis to avoid any pilferage

Mobilink receives WWF‘Award of Innovation’ for sustainable, green initiatives

The Customs Intelligence Hyderabad’s FIU has confiscated smuggled | See pAge 02 |

FBR has directed the officials of PCS to conduct weekly meeting with the border | See pAge 03 |

The govt should work for boosting exports as too much emphasis | See pAge 04 |

The Pakistan Customs decided to check the forward and reverse cargo of Afghan | See pAge 12 |

WWF Pakistan, in a latest honor recognizing the telco’s ongoing Mobilink | See pAge 09 |

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FIA arrests six human traffickers from Lahore Thursday, September 24, 2015

National

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore has arrested six human traffickers during different raids in the city.

The arrested accused were involved in sending innocent citizens to foreign countries on forged documents and also looted millions of rupees in frauds. A number of complaints were registered against the suspects.

Sources told Customs Today that FIA booked Imran AlI, Sajjad. Sher Khan. Tahir, Muhammad Saghir and Rana Hammad were wanted by FIA authorities in fraud and preparing fake documents and sensing people abroad illegally.

Hyderabad Customs intelligence confiscates tyres, plastic rolls

FBr recovers rs 0.5m from cricketer Hafeez against tax liability

HYDERABAD

LAHORE

m HAYAT

ASLAm QureSHi

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he Customs Intelligence and Investigation Hyderabad’s Field Investigation Unit (FIU) has confiscated smuggled foreign origin tyres and plastic rolls worth Rs 1.5 million during an operation in Hyderabad Sources told Customs Today that FIU Hyderabad team acting upon credible information received through Deputy Director Mohammad Tayeb, conducted a raid to foil smuggling attempt in the region.

Deputy Superintendent Sikander Hayat Khanzada, Irfan Khan, Inspector Yawar Abas, Sepoy Noshad Khan and other conducted raid near bypass in Hyderabad and intercepted a vehicle. The team recovered 70 pieces of tyres and 350 kilogram of plastic roll from the vehicle.

The official asked the driver to produce any legal document regarding the legal possession of the goods items but he could not show any documents on which customs seized the goods following the prevailing customs laws.

Meanwhile, The Customs Investigation and Intelligence Hyderabad has seized smuggled Iranian juice, cake and shampoos worth Rs 1 million during an operation in Hyderabad.

he Regional Tax Office –II has recovered Rs 0.5 million directly from the salary of cricketer Muhammad Hafeez against his tax liability of Rs 3.7 million, sources told Customs Today here Tuesday.

The sources said that FBR issued notices to the PCB COO and CFO directing them to deposit the cricketer’s salary in the FBR accounts as he was tax defaulter for the period of tax year 2010-11.

The PCB officials, in compliance, deducted the salary of the cricketer and deposited it in the FBR accounts.

The sources informed that the FBR RTO-II, in order to recover the tax liability from the cricketer, has already seized his 26 bank accounts.

However, it failed to recover any amount from these accounts.

The operation against the cricketer was conducted on the instructions of RTO-II chief commissioner, the sources informed.

The tax liability amount payable against cricketer Muhammad Hafeez will be deducted from his next salary.

Official source told Customs Today that illegally imported goods were seized following a tip-off received through Deputy Director Mohammad Tayyab. The team intercepted a truck near Ayub Hotel by pass, Hyderabad and recovered 1,700 cartons of smuggled Iranian

Juice, 100 cartons of smuggled cakes and 110 cartons of foreign origin shampoo.

Under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent Sikander Hayat Khanzada and Irfan Khan, the customs intelligence team comprising Inspector Yawar Abas, Sepoys Mus-

rat Ali Shah, Noshad Khan, Azam Ali and others participated in the operation.

The official said that after making the seizer report the confiscated contraband items would be deposited to the state warehouse in Hyderabad.

Faisalabad ASO confiscates smuggled cloth worth Rs 2m FAISALABAD

NAeem SHeikH

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he Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization Faisalabad (ASO) has seized 1,320 kilogram of foreign origin silk cloth worth Rs 2.05 million.

An ASO team, following credible information received through Model

Customs Collectorate (MCC), Faisalabad Dr Zulafqar Ali Chaudhary, raided M/s Pak International Goods Transport Company located on Jhang Road, Faisalabad.

While searching, the ASO team recovered 19,142 yards of cloth on which it asked the person concerned to produce the documents showing the legal import of the cloth, but he remained failed to do so. Therefore, Customs ofSicials seized the cloth under Import and Export Trade (Control) Act 1950,

punishable under Section 156(1), 89 of Customs Act, 1969.

The ASO team comprising Superintendent Zahid Raza Bukhari, Inspector Muhammad Munir Ahmad, ZulSiqar Ali, Rana abdul Nasir and others participated in the raid.

Meanwhie, The Customs Adjudication has issued Original in Order (ONO) in favour of Faisalabad Customs Sield unit of Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), Jhang. Faisalabad Deputy Collector Muhammad Saeed Asad issued the Original in Order

(ONO), declaring the conSiscation 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. Meanwhile, during the inspection of the truck it was revealed that chassis number of the truck was tempered with. After that the truck was sent for a laboratory test to get

conSirmation whether the chassis number was tampered with or not.

On the other hand, no one appeared to defend the case from the respondent’s side, nor did any written reply was sent to counter the allegation before the court. Therefore, Faisalabad DC Muhammad Saeed Asad issued an Original in Order (ONO) for outright conSiscations of the impounded truck and cloth in favour of the federal government under section 156(1)89(i) of customs act, 1969 issued by Custom’s Adjudication Faisalabad.

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Traders express grief on sad demise of UAE PM’s son LAHORE: The Progressive Group, a representative group of the traders and businessmen, has expressed sorrow and grief over the sad demise of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a son of Dubai’s ruler, who died the other day due to cardiac arrest.

Progressive Group’s deputy secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fair Marketing Pakistan Muhammad Ejaz Tanveer and Zeeshan Bukhshi, in a joint statement issued here, offered condolence to the ruling family of Dubai over the death of young prince.

They also prayed to Allah almighty to bless the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.

Taxpayers directed to display NTN on business places to avoid action MULTAN

imrAN ALi

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he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Regional Tax Office (RTO) Multan has directed the commercial taxpayers to display their sales tax registration and national tax number (NTN) on their shops, offices and factories to avoid inconvenience.

The RTO said that stern actions will be taken on non-compliance of the orders as the commissioner Multan Zone has formed special teams for this purpose.

The RTO) has taken this step to identify non-registered taxpayers so that the taxpayers and non-payers could be differentiated.

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prA seals 7 wedding halls in Lahore over tax evasion LAHORE

m imrAN meHAr

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he Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has sealed seven wedding halls in the city due to non-payment of services sales tax.

Talking to Customs Today, Assistant Collector Kashif Malik said that most of these wedding halls are located on Davis Road, Nishter Road, Chauburji, Sabzazar and Johar Town. He said that strict action will be taken against those which found involved in any kind of tax evasion. He directed his entire staff to further speed up campaign for the recover of taxes, ignoring all kind of pressure.

He said that there are credible reports that most of wedding halls, which are operating in the province, are not registered with the Punjab Revenue Authority. Shahi Khaima and Shah Jahan Banquet Hall, which are located on Davis Road.

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Thursday September 24, 2015

National

FBr tells customs to work in close liaison with border security agencies ISLAMABAD

SHAHiD miNHAS

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ederal Board of Revenue (FBR) has directed the officials of Pakistan Customs Services (PCS) to conduct weekly meeting with the border security agencies to strengthen system more against smuggling.

Sources said that FBR has developed a new anti-smuggling policy under which the board has asked customs officials to coordinate and keep close relations with other law enforcement agencies.

And in this system, customs officials to coordinate and share information with border security agencies.

It is important to mention here that Directorate of Customs Intelligence Islamabad has conducted a chain of meetings with other law enforcement agencies, Motorway Police and National Highway Authority, Anti-Narcotics Force, Maritime Security, and discussed matters in this regard in detail.

On the other hand, all agencies agreed upon to develop strong relation in order to save the national economy and to weed out the smuggling in the region.

Meanwhile, The federal government has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure the standard of material in imported solar power equipment.

Following the complaints re-

garding the import of low quality equipment, the federal government has issued instructions to the FBR. Sources added that Alternative Power Development Board has issued a report after the consultations with provincial department of power and electricity, Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, Pakistan Standard and Quality Authority, FBR and Cus-

FBr has developed a new antismuggling policy under which the board has asked customs officials to coordinate and keep close relations with other law enforcement agencies.

Value of plastic household items determined

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he Directorate General of Customs Valuation and Ruling has determined the import values of plastic household items vide Valuation Ruling No. 763/2015.

The Directorate General of Customs valuation issued Valuation Ruling No.576/2013. An importer namely M/s. Anwar Traders, which imported a consignment of lunch

boxes, Siled a constitutional petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the said ruling of Customs.

The LHC directed the Customs Department to treat the petition as an application and consider the objections of the petitioner against the Valuation Ruling and decide the matter in order to address their grievances.

Therefore, proceedings for re-determination of customs values of household items including lunch

boxes were initiated after the direction of Lahore High Court.

The Customs values plastic house hold items of China were fixed. Values of Airtight container are fixed at $2.90 per kg; bowl (with or without lid) at $2.32; basket/dustbin at $3.71 per kg; cup/mug (With or without lid) at $3.47 per kg; tray (all types) at $2.17 per kg; tub/buckets at $2.17 per kg; plastic colored lunch boxes (single) at $2.43 per kg.

toms Clearance Agents.

According to the report, the solar power equipment which have been imported this time were not up to the mark.

In the report, it was also proposed that FBR should play an effective role in this regard. FBR should deploy technical experts in the customs clearing offices all over the country to maintain the quality of imported items.

Customs, IR Tribunals witness thin attendance before Eid he Customs Appellate Tribunal (CAT) and Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) are witnessing thin presence of staffers as Eidul Azha is approaching fast.

A visit to the offices of tribunals located in the federal capital revealed that lesser number of employees came to the office as compare to previous days.

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GEPCO to send cases of 6,826 chronic defaulters to NAB Thursday, September 24, 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.

karachi’s improved security situation boosts property market LAHORE

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he successful Karachi operation positively impacted Pakistan’s real estate sector. New developments are expected to increase two to threefold in the future, according to a recent survey conducted by Pakistan’s best real estate website, Lamudi.pk

According to real estate agents and builders, the Karachi operation created a very positive environment. The law and order agencies are eliminating the qabza mafia from the city and people are now getting possession of their homes, plots and files.

It also contributed in increasing the confidence of investors and resulted in increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Overseas Pakistanis are also seen investing back in their homeland with increased

25% discount in railway fares on 1st, 2nd day of eid

investment directed towards the renowned Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and upcoming real estate hotspots such as Gwadar.

The brokers and developers reported an increase in property prices of Karachi after the operation, especially of posh areas such as DHA, Clifton and DHA City. The property values of DHA City increased by almost 20 percent in the last two months and this trend is expected to continue.

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he passengers, who travel on the first and the second day of Eid, will avail a 25 per cent discount in train fares. Under the Eid operations, three special Eid trains have left Karachi for different destinations across the country. The first train departed Karachi Cantt Railway Station at 11am, the second for Rawalpindi at 2pm and the third at 7.30pm for the same destination.

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With Eid-ul-Azha right around the corner, and overseas Pakistanis coming back to their homeland to celebrate, the real estate sector is expected to undergo another jump.”

If the operation continues successfully, property prices will double. This will in turn lead to more construction activity and give a boost to the entire economy of Pakistan by creating jobs for the laborers, architects, engineers and the suppliers of raw materials etc., Arshed said.

pakistan to issue another $1 billion eurobond this week

ISLAMABAD

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Saad Arshed, Country Director of Lamudi.pk, commented that: “The Karachi operation has given a great boost to the real estate sector of Pakistan. Not only is the city benefiting from it but trickle down effects can also be seen in form of increased FDI inflows in the property markets of other cities too.

The operation should fully eliminate the Bhata and Qabza mafia and eliminate all such activities from the grassroots level.

ISLAMABAD

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akistan will raise at least $1 billion from international debt markets, choosing the easier but more expensive path of capital markets financing rather than implementing tough but necessary energy sector reforms and accessing the much cheaper financing available from interna-

tional aid agencies.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar left on Tuesday for the United States where he will lead the Pakistani team to launch a Eurobond. The bond will be priced on September 24 and is being underwritten by Citibank, Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, which were appointed less than three weeks ago. Finance Secretary Waqar Masood told Reuters that Pakistan was hoping to raise at least $500 million by selling its debt, but hinted that it could sell more. “We are not Sixated on the size. We can deSinitely do

more and we are open with regards to the tenor too,” he said. He hinted at issuing another bond, which was not part of original Siscal 2016 budget. “We will do a sukuk (Shariacompliant bond) in … maybe the April to June quarter,” said Masood.

Issuing a sukuk has become the government’s backup plan after it failed to implement the necessary energy sector reforms that would unlock funding from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Japan. The Eurobonds are expected to be of either Sive or 10-year maturities, or possibly both.

Government urged to work for boosting exports ISLAMABAD

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he government should work for boosting exports as too much emphasis on getting trade relaxations from other countries and blocks has proved counterproductive. Pakistan Economy Watch

(PEW) Dr Murtaza Mughal said this in a statement, adding that the government avoided reforming external sector to get trade beneSits which has taken toll on economy. Reforms should be initiated by empowering commerce ministry and meaningful changes in all attach as well as subordinate departments, said, President PEW. He said that country could only hardly manage exports worth $24 billion during 2014-15 while other countries relying on textile

managed well. Bangladesh exports stood at $31 billion while Vietnam exports remained $97 billion. Pakistan exports dwindled 2.6 percent as compare to 2011-12 and 2.2 percent in comparison with 2013 while it shrank by 4.8 percent as compare to 2014. Dr Murtaza said that scarcity of energy, tax incentives and loans have been identiSied as major irritants while culture of mini budgets, SROs, and blocked refunds also damaged the external sector pushing Pakistan.

Bosan for timely completion of mepCo schemes MULTAN

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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.

CEO Mepco Fazalullah apprised federal minister that Mepco official were working round the clock to achieve targets of recovery and line losses.

The Mepco chief also instructed officials concerned to complete upgradation of transformers, balancing, and LT schemes at the earliest.

Member Mepco Board of Director Zahid Perveze Marral also informed the minister that Mepco remained at number one position year fiscal year 2014-15.

He claimed that the company would also maintain the same performance in the on-going year also.He claimed that the company would also maintain the same performance in the on-going year also.

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ollector Model Customs Collectorate Multan Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich reviewed the performance of Anti-Smuggling Organization Multan after the relocation of staff in field for achieving more effective results in future.

During the month of September, 2015 Model of Customs Collectorate Multan seized 11 smuggled vehicles of different brands and models including one Toyota Land Cruiser, three Toyota Vitz, one Toyota Corolla-X, one Toyota Corolla Saloon, four Toyota Hilux Surf, One Honda Civic car valuing worth Rs 11.25 million during the month of September so far.

Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich stated that Anti-Smuggling Organization formed 11 seizure cases of different contraband goods including tyres, auto parts, blankets and chocolates valuing worth Rs 1.81 million during first 22 days of September.

During these operations antismuggling squad faces serious threats/injury/damage to life and public property including official vehicles during one of such operations. Constable Akhter Hussain Sukhera was seriously injured with a broken toe ankle bone which he underwent surgery and is presently hospitalized.

While yet in another grieves case, in a firing incident in an encounter in Bahawalpur , one Amnat Ali alias Fouji, an alleged smuggler of Toyota Hilux

Surf was hit by a bullet in exchange of fire in self-defence and subsequently lost his life.

An FIR No.251/15 dated 18.09.15 registered in police station (Saddar),Bahawalpur

by Anti-Smuggling Organization, MCC Multan for intervention in government duty.

Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich after lauding the efforts of Anti-Smuggling Organization advised the organization to act in professional cohesive mannered in order to ensure the safety of life and public property. While talking to Customs Today Collector Sarfraz Ahmad Warraich told that performance is the best key to judge our results and we have adopted comprehensive strategy to curtail smuggling in the jurisdiction of Model of Customs Collectorate Multan.

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Thursday, September 24, 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

New economic rating

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new report issued by Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded sovereign credit rating of Pakistan from Caa1 to B3, reversing its earlier decision of July 13, 2012 when it had downgraded credit rating to Caa1 on July 13, 2012 due to poor standing of the economy which was subject to very high credit risk. The credit rating agency believes that financial mismanagement, structural inflationary pressures and domestic political uncertainties are causing external vulnerabilities and debt sustainability. However, it has now assigned a provisional rating of (P) B3 to the global bond offered by Pakistan and kept the economic outlook stable. The agency says that Pakistan’s B3 rating reflects moderate economic strength with a supply-constrained economy that has been resistant to the structural changes. It also says that despite the large scale of the economy, the per-capita income in the country is relatively very low but implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will help improve power generation and infrastructure. The government has gained significant traction on reforms under the International Monetary Fund’s programme, which emphasizes on deficit reduction, resolving energy sector constraints and the privatisation of stateowned enterprises. The agency also observes several other factors that drive sovereign credit rating, including low fiscal strength and high susceptibility to event risk.

The agency says that key fiscal and external credit metrics are weak and are compounded by the country’s narrow tax base, low savings and shallow capital market, hindering stable financing of budget deficits, but the government is trying to draw out maturity of debt, hoping that it would reduce gross financing needs. The agency says that the government debt rollover risk has been reduced by sizeable recourse to bank lending at home and by a debt structure, adding that the banks in the country are vulnerable to economic risks and political shocks despite stable financial health and management. The report says that the stable outlook of the economy represents its expectation of balanced upside and downside risks and that the support from multilateral and bilateral lenders has improved foreign exchange reserve and progress in ongoing reform program.

The agency though sees deeply entrenched weaknesses in the power sector as a bottleneck to the economic growth; the overall security situation is one of the biggest challenges for the government.

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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Amazon dangles $50 tablet computer to lure consumers NEW YORK: Amazon is dangling a US$50 tablet computer in its latest attempt to lure consumers who can’t afford or don’t want the more expensive Internet-connected devices made by Apple and other rivals. The 7-inch Fire tablet unveiled marks Amazon’s most aggressive attempt yet to undercut Apple, which has been the market leader since its first iPad went on sale five years ago. The least expensive iPad Mini, which has an 8-inch screen, currently sells for US$270.

ethiopian Chamber approves amendment to 2007 Charter he Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) has approved the amendments to its 2007 Charter at its Seventh General Assembly which took place at Sheraton Addis Hotel on September 17, 2015.

Amendments mainly focused on issues of composition and representation in the General Assembly, procedures of assignment of external auditor, service terms of executive and board level management, membership fees and participation expenses coverage.

According to the amendment proposed on the General Assembly, the composition of that decision-making body will be determined in proportion to the number of members of each of the 18 institutional members of the assembly.

Members of the Chamber include two city government chambers, nine regional chambers and seven sectoral associations in the country. Previously some 300 representatives of the 18 member institutions comprised the General Assembly; the amendment brings that number down to 176. Meanwhile, The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 2015 Fall Legislative Breakfast on Wednesday, September 23 at the Florence Civic Center. The event kicks off with breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by a program at 8 a.m. where Senator Hugh Leatherman, Representative Phillip Lowe and Representative Jay Jordan will speak on legislative and business updates, according to a news release from the GFCC. Hilliard Lyons and First Reliance Bank are sponsoring the event; general admission tickets are $15 per person and includes the meal. Ken Ard and Dave Baker will broadcast live during the event with their Good Morning Pee Dee radio show on Live 95.3 FM, the release states.

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Thursday September 24, 2015

Chambers

mobilink receives wwF ‘Award of innovation’ for green initiatives ISLAMABAD

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WF Pakistan, in a latest honor recognizing the telco’s ongoing endeavors to protect the environment, conferred the ‘Award of Innovation’ to Mobilink at the third annual ‘WWF Green OfSice Network’ meeting. The award is in honor of Mobilink’s ongoing green sustainability initiatives, which target the telco’s industrial and corporate activities in a bid to cut down on consumption of electricity, paper, water and residual solid waste. Previously, Mobilink also received WWF’s Green OfSice CertiSication, only telco in the country to do so, for its corporate premises in Lahore and Islamabad after ensuring a 73% drop in the consumption levels of natural resources.

Expressing his delight at receiving the award, Omar Manzur, Head of Corporate Communication – Mobilink said, “Mobilink’s Corporate Responsibility function, not only, ensures that

our employees are aware of environment-friendly practices and make efSicient use of resources, but the corporation, as a whole, amalgamates this green philosophy with its corporate objectives. At Mobilink, we believe that global businesses are the only institutions strong enough to meet the huge long-term challenges facing our planet, thus we are willingly to strive harder to ensure our part is played out efSiciently. The

‘Award of Innovation’ by WWF acts as an encouragement for our employees and ‘Green OfSice’ coordinators for all the good work they have been doing to live up to our corporate objectives.”

As part of these ongoing green initiatives, Mobilink has incorporated a Building Management System – an intelligent centralized energy management solution to efSiciently control & optimize the telco’s buildings’ consumption, and different Power Sys-

SAArC Chamber agrees to resolve trade dispute ISLAMABAD

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he SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) has unanimously agreed to resolve all trade disputes at the SAARC Arbitration Council instead of the International Court of Arbitration (ICA).

Addressing the concluding session of SAARC moot on “Arbitration”, SAARC Arbitration Council Director General Thusantha Wikemanna stressed the need for settling all trade related disputes among the private sectors of member countries amicably through

arbitration. He said that seeking remedy of disputes at ICA was cumbersome and expensive while resolution of disputes cropped up between two private or public sectors at the local arbitration council would be speedy and economical. It was agreed in principal by delegates of member countries to settle their trade related disputes at regional level instead of international court and it was further agreed that participants would approach their respective governments for enactment of necessary legislation in this regard with a provision of Sirst approaching the regional arbitration council. Thusantha Wijenanna said that different member countries had now established their joint ventures in various sectors. The visiting dele-

gates discussed the ways and means at length on how the “Arbitration Council of SAACR CCI” could contributes signiSicantly to promote trade among member countries by resolving their disputes timely. The delegation thanked Vice President SAARC CCI Pak chapter Chief Iftikhar Ali Malik for offering permanent ofSice to the arbitration director general at the SAARC Headquarters in Islamababad.

Pakistan hosted the moot mainly to resolve trade related disputes amicably among member countries. SAARC CCI Secretary General Muhammad Iqbal Tabish, on the occasion, said that all proposals put forth by the participants would be given due weightage during the general assembly session of the SAARC chamber.

tem Optimization Projects. It also continuously revamps its communications structure to reduce paper usage, while cutting down on CO2 emissions through a reduction in corporate traveling; for this purpose Mobilink launched ‘MobiRide’ – an environment friendly-carpooling network designed and conSigured to address issues such as parking space constraints, high traveling expenses, and trafSic congestions.

Hampton Chamber plans cultural exchange trip to Cuba he Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce is planning its second cultural exchange trip to Cuba.

The chamber says the educational visit is scheduled for April.

The chamber is planning an educational meeting for those who are interested in visiting Cuba on Monday night in Norfolk. The chamber will review its first trip to the island that took place in May after travel restrictions were eased for U.S. citizens wanting to travel to Cuba. The chamber says its members, business leaders and community members from Hampton Roads are all welcome to travel.

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Singapore authorities seize $340K worth of drugs, 6 arrested Thursday September 24, 2015

World

SINGAPORE: The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) seized a large amount of drugs, including some from a “mobile drug store”, in two separate operations.

The drugs seized from the two operations, which included 5kg of cannabis and 600g of “Ice”, have an estimated street value of more than $340,000, CNB said in a press release on Tuesday.

The 5kg of cannabis was seized on Monday afternoon from a car.

CNB officers deployed at Senoko Drive observed a Malaysian lorry driver place a red plastic bag on the rear seat of the car driven by the suspected drug trafficker, 34, and his accomplice, 29. Both are Singaporeans.

Singapore’s CNB seizes uS Customs arrests Chinese man for smuggling $4.5m cash drugs worth more than S$340,000

NEW YORK

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SINGAPORE

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Chinese businessman who allegedly illegally funneled money to the Democratic National Committee before President Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election has been arrested for smuggling more than $4.5 million in cash into the United States, according to Manhattan federal court papers.

Ng Lap Seng, 68, and his interpreter, Jeff Yin, 29, were busted on Saturday for sneaking cash from China to US airports, the papers state.

The criminal complaint charging Ng — a major Macau real-estate developer — and Yin says they brought $400,000 in cash to Queens after telling Customs and Border Patrol it was intended for gambling and buying paintings.

The papers do not say what Ng

Customs arrests man with Saudi riyal at Dhaka airport ustoms Intelligence officials today detained a man and seized huge amount of Saudi Riyals from his possession at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Acting on a tip-off, customs intelligence officials detained Shiblu Sarkar, 33, who hailed from Manikganj, while he was departing for Kuala Lumpur, a text massage of the customs intelligence floated for media said.

The Saudi Riyals were concealed in his hand trolley bag and he was detained at the boarding bridge-1, the massage reads.

The amount of the Riyals could not be confirmed immediately as those were being counted when the report was filed around 9:40pm.

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did with the rest of the money he brought into the country over about 10 trips between 2013 and 2015.

Ng Sigured prominently in the foreign-cash campaign scandal known as Donorgate ahead of the 1996 elections.

He transferred about $1.4 million to Charlie Trie, another Chinese businessman, who had known Clin-

ton since the 1970s, with Trie then giving the money to the DNC, a US Senate investigation found.

Trie pleaded guilty in 1999 and agreed to cooperate in the Justice Department’s campaign-Sinance investigation. Ng was never charged.

“It is the state’s burden to prove his guilt,” said Ng defense attorney Kevin Tung.

Dubai Court charges three Arabs over drug smuggling

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he Criminal Court in Dubai charged three young Arabs with drug trafSicking, after they smuggled a tonne of drugs from a neighboring country through one of the ports. The suspects used metal pipes to Sill a large quantity of drugs, which they put inside a refrigerator that was transported using a truck. The Sirst suspect was reportedly tasked to transport the drugs, and the second was responsible for disassembling the

metal pipes. According to the Public Prosecution papers, the security authorities received a tipoff on the suspects. The Dubai Police tasked a secret agent to communicate with the suspect who was tasked with transporting the drugs. They reportedly decided a time and place to meet. When the security agent went to the place where the truck was parked, the suspect tried to escape fearing arrest, not realising that he was being closely watched.

ore than 5kg of cannabis, 600g of ‘Ice’, and other drugs worth more than S$340,000 were seized in two separate operations yesterday, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said.

A total of six suspects Sive Singaporeans and one Malaysian were arrested. Two of the suspects caught are a 34-year-old suspected drug trafSicker and his 29-year-old male accomplice. CNB ofSicers were deployed in the vicinity of Havelock Road and at Senoko, to observe the duo who were believed to be expecting a fresh consignment of drugs.

They were believed to be operating a “mobile drug store” out of a car, said the CNB in a statement today. OfSicers deployed at Senoko Sirst spotted them in the vicinity of Senoko Drive in a car, with a Malaysia-registered lorry in the vicinity. The lorry driver, a 34-year-old Malaysian, was observed placing a plastic bag on the rear seat of the suspects’ car. He was later apprehended at the Woodlands Checkpoint. Both suspects were ar-

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rested along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.

About 5kg of cannabis was found in the plastic bag. Three tobacco packs containing a 60g of cannabis were found in the car while three packets of ‘Ice’ and cash amounting to S$11,300 were found on the alleged accomplice. A search of the “mobile drug store” parked in a multi-storey carpark in Havelock recovered about 750g of cannabis, 350g of ‘Ice’, a weighing scale and some drug paraphernalia. In a separate operation, CNB ofSicers arrested a 39-year-old alleged drug abuser with a small amount of ‘Ice’, ketamine and Erimin5 tablets. The suspect was led to a hotel room nearby believed to be used as a drug store where heroin, other drugs, a weighing scale and two drug-smoking apparatuses were seized. The CNB said a 43-year-old man was also arrested at another part of the same hotel. A search of his room uncovered heroin, ‘Ice’ and ketamine. Later in the evening, CNB ofSicers arrested a 40-year-old suspected drug trafSicker along Balestier Road. He was found with 300g of ‘Ice’, 240g of ketamine, 3,602 Erimin-5 tablets and cash amounting to S$13,381.

Canada police seize drugs worth $585,000 ver half a million bucks in drugs has been seized from an Edmonton home by Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams.

Powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine are just some of the estimated $585,000 worth of drugs seized by ALERT Edmonton, an integrated team consisting of Edmonton city plice, Alberta Sheriffs,

and RCMP members. The Sept. 15 drug seizure was in the Montrose neighbourhood, just off of 118 Avenue. Drugs seized include: 1.47 kilograms of powder cocaine; 2.15 kilograms of crack cocaine; 655 grams of methamphetamine; 98 grams of heroin; 1.65 kilograms of hashish; 213 grams of marijuana; 46 grams of psilocybin.

malaysia’s inflation increases by 3.1% to 113.9 in Aug

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KUALA LUMPUR

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alaysia’s inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August 2015, rose higher than expected due to higher costs in most of the major groups.

The Statistics Department said

on Wednesday the CPI increased by 3.1% to 113.9 compared with 110.5 a year ago.

This was above a Bloomberg survey of 3% increase.

“Overall, the index for food & non-alcoholic Beverages (weight: 30.3) rose 4.2% on a year-on-year basis in August 2015. The index for non-food (weight: 69.7) recorded an increase of 2.5%,” it

said. The department said alcoholic beverages and tobacco group rose the most by 13.4%; health (4.7%); restaurants and hotels (+4.5%); miscellaneous goods and services (+4.5%); food and nonalcoholic beverages (+4.2%) and furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance (+3.7%),” it said.

“These six groups of goods and

services which weighted 47.4 contributed 75.7% to the increase in the CPI for the month of August 2015,” it said.

The department said on a monthly basis, CPI for August 2015 remained unchanged at 113.9. “CPI for the first eight months in 2015 registered an increase by 1.9% as compared to the same period last year,” it said.

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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.

inland port near Ashcroft to reduce truck traffic

Ports & Shipping

China’s Dynagas to build $1.6b Arctic LNg ships

VANCOUVER

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Canadian National train carrying grain snakes its way along the Thompson River near Ashcroft, its cars stretching for miles through the low-rolling hills.

One day that train could potentially stop right there and unload, smack in the middle of Bob Landucci’s 130hectare sage-cleared site in B.C.’s Interior. Indeed, that’s his intention once he gets the facility, dubbed the Ashcroft Terminal, running with everything from fleet management to transmodal and bulk transloading services.

“When we start doing business we can transload that into cars and they can take it back into the Prairies,” said Landucci, CEO of the terminal. “The traffic goes through here whether it’s coal, potash or grain.”

The terminal, which received its first containers from Hapag-Lloyd this week, has been in the making for more than a decade. Funded primarily by the Landucci family, with a $3.57-million grant from the federal government, the terminal is expected to offer an inland port for some of the 60 freight trains, including every car heading to and from Metro Vancouver, that now pass through the site each day. The idea, he hopes, is to have some of those trains stop in Ashcroft and unload, which would limit the maze of rail rerouting that’s done now across B.C., cut the truck traffic congestion in the Lower ainland, and provide for a faster turnaround for the railroad.

Every exported container in the Lower Mainland now requires two to three truck transfers.

Lumber from the West Fraser mill in 100 Mile House, for instance, could be trucked to Ashcroft, loaded on rail and taken directly to a terminal to be shipped overseas. Right now it’s hauled by rail to Metro, trucked to lumber storage and eventually hauled to a terminal, which takes two to four trips.

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hina Merchants Energy Shipping, Sinotrans Shipping and Greek shipping Sirm Dynagas are in talks to form a joint venture to build Sive vessels to ship liqueSied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic, the Sirms said.

China Merchants said in a stock exchange statement that its board had approved a proposal allowing subsidiary China LNG Shipping to take a 25.5 percent stake in the joint venture, which will pay $1.59 billion for the ships.

Sinotrans, a unit of state-owned Sinotrans & CSC Holdings on Monday said it would take a 25.5 percent share of the joint venture without revealing who its partners were. Dynagas, a private Athens-based LNG shipping Sirm, will take a 49 percent stake, China Merchants’ statement said. Calls to Dynagas’ ofSices in Athens were not answered outside

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regular business hours. China LNG is a joint venture between China Merchants and China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company .

The ships will be principally tasked to transport gas from the $27 billion Yamal LNG project, a joint venture being built by Russia’s Novatek, France’s Total and China National Petroleum Corp. Chinese banks are expected to lend $12 billion to the proj-

ect. A growing number of Sirms have been eyeing shorter shipping routes through the Arctic as the ice melts rapidly amid rising temperatures, though the recent slump in oil prices has deterred investment. The joint venture represents Sinotrans’ Sirst foray into LNG shipping, which Barclays analysts said would help shift its earnings proSile from spot to longterm contracts.

Gina Rinehart’s iron ore mine exports to start in Oct illionaire Gina Rinehart’s new Roy Hill iron ore mine will start exports sometime in October, compared with an initial deadline of the end of this month.

The operation in Western Australia’s iron-rich Pilbara region now has more than 19 million metric tons of high-grade ore stockpiles, Roy Hill Holdings Pty Chief Executive OfSicer Barry Fitzgerald told reporters in

Qingdao, China, on Tuesday. “We’re on target to increase mining capacity to 55 million tons in 15 months,” Fitzgerald said on the sidelines of the China International Steel & Raw Materials conference. The addition of new iron ore supply from mines including Roy Hill will add to a global surplus of the steelmaking ingredient in 2016 and 2017, maintaining pressure on prices, according to CLSA Ltd. Iron ore has

slumped 28 percent in the past year as the largest suppliers have continued to expand output amid faltering demand growth in China, the largest consumer.

Even as higher cost mines are shuttered, supply will increase by about 41 million tons next year and by 75 million tons in 2017 on output from Roy Hill, Anglo American Plc’s MinasRio in Brazil and other projects, CLSA analysts wrote in a Sept.

Thursday September 24, 2015

Charleston port gets federal nod to deepen channel he Army Corps of Engineers declared the Port of Charleston’s deepening project to be economically and environmentally feasible on Monday, clearing the way to the project to move ahead pending the securing of needed federal and state funding.

The “chief’s report” increases the likelihood that the South Carolina port will have the deepest harbor on the East Coast by the end of the decade. Larger vessels are increasingly calling the East Coast through the Suez Canal, and even more are expected when the expanded locks of the Panama Canal open mid-2016, allowing the waterway to handle containerships three times the size it can now.

“This is a great day for us,” Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority, told the South Carolina International Trade Conference in Charleston.

By dredging its harbor to 52 feet, and entrance channel to 54 feet, Charleston will be able to handle mega-ships with capacities of 14,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units, round the clock, without having to rely on tidal variations. For East Coast ports that will increasingly handle big ships from Asia facing tight windows for transiting the Panama Canal, “it’s not good to have tidal restrictions,” Newsome said Monda.

The port’s archrival, Savannah, however, is ahead, as it will begin deepening its harbor later this month.

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uS ports to miss mega-ships, Charleston port chief

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he head of one of the fastestgrowing ports said the days of U.S. ports gateways unwilling or unable to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure to become a top 10 port are limited. Without major investments in deeper harbors, larger terminals, taller cranes and ex-

tensive rail and highway infrastructure, ports will literally miss the boat in the era of big ships, said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority. Ocean carriers, by concentrating their vessel orders on mega-ships with capacities ranging from 7,500 to 20,000 twenty-footequivalent units, are sending a clear message to ports in the major eastwest trade lanes that gateways unable to physically accommodate big ships,

turn them quickly at berth, and move the containers efSiciently to inland destinations through excellent road and railway connectors will start to lose cargo to top-10 ports. “This is a bigship industry,” Newsome said.

Charleston will invest $1 billion by 2020 to remain a top-10 port, which means ports in the Southeast — the fastest-growing region of the country that do not invest heavily in port and inland infrastructure will be fair game

for cargo diversion. “Some ports can’t invest in big-ship terminals, so we’ll get some of that cargo,” he said.

Charleston, and its closest rival, Savannah, are investing heavily to be bigship ready when the Panama Canal expansion project is completed next spring and vessels of about 13,000 TEU-capacity will be able to transit the canal on all-water services from Asia. Vessels much larger than that can easily transit the Suez Canal today.

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FBR BTB recovers Rs 5m from 400 Lahoris’ bank accounts LAHORE: Federal Board of Revenue, Broadening of Tax Base (BTB) recovered Rs 5 million from 400 Lahoris who purchased luxury vehicles and real estates from 2009 to 2015, sources said.

According to the sources, the FBR Islamabad detected 30,000 rich people who purchased luxury vehicles and real estate but payed no tax during the period 2009-15.The sources dded that the FBR BTB issued several notices to the taxpayers, asking them to clear outstanding dues but they did not complied with.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

CUSTOMS BULLETIN

Customs preventive recovers 60,000 litres of iranian diesel KARACHI

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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 confiscated three dispensers fitted 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.

Customs Valuation DG determines values of EVA sheet KARACHI

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he Directorate General of Customs Valuation has determined the customs values of EVA Sheet vide Valuation Ruling No 761/2015. The customs values of EVA sheet were determined under Section 25-A of the Customs Act, 1969.

According to details, a reference was received from MCC Appraise-

ment East Karachi that EVA sheet is being declared substantially underinvoiced values and that declarations are even lower than the cost of raw materials. Therefore, an exercise to determine customs values of EVA sheet under Section 25-A of the Customs Act, 1969 was initiated. As per the Valuation Ruling, EVA Sheet (black or dark-grey color) imported from China would be assessed to C and F at $1.20 and EVA sheet (white color) imported from China would be assessed to C and F at $1.60. In cases where declared/transaction values are higher than the Customs values determined in this Ruling, the

assessing ofSicer shall apply those values in terms of Sub Section (1) of Section 25 of the Customs Act, 1969.

In case of consignments imported by air, the assessing ofSicer shall take into account the differential between air freight and sea freight while applying the Customs values determined in this Ruling.

Meanwhile, The 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

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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 CertiSicate’ under the WeBOC system, sources said. Now, the currency of term Cross Border CertiSicate 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.