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Karachi, Fri August 11, 2017

KARACHI

WAQAR ANSARI

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he Directorate General of Customs Valuation has revised the customs values of ginger and garlic vide Valuation Ruling No 1197/2017 under Section 25-A of the Customs Act, 1969. According to the details, the customs values of ginger and garlic from different origins were de-

termined vide Valuation Ruling No. 822/2016 dated 22.03.2016 and Ruling No. 824/2016 dated 31.03.2016. All Pakistan Fresh Ginger and Garlic Importers and Wholesalers Association and some other importers filed requests for the re-determination of the previous ruling since the same was more than one year old. It was deemed expedient to redetermine values of ginger and garlic in line with the international price trends. Hence, an exer-

Vol 2, Issue No. 186

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cise was initiated by this Directorate General to redetermine the customs values afresh. 3. Stakeholders’ participation in determination of Customs values: A meeting was scheduled on 18-072017 with stakeholders and importers of subject goods which was attended by representatives of clearance Collectorate also. All stakeholders were requested to submit invoices of imports during last three months showing factual value.

DG Valuation revises customs values of ginger, garlic vide VR No 1197/2017

Peshawar Customs seizes narcotics worth Rs70m, arrested 52 smugglers

Tax filing system will be simplified: FBR Chairman Tariq Pasha

CBP officer seizes $3.3m in drugs, capture 17 fugitives

Faisalabad ASO confiscates huge quantity of contraband items

DG Valuation has revised the customs values of ginger and garlic vide Valuation | See pAge 01 |

Custom Collectorate with collaboration of ANF seized narcotics worth of Rs70m | See pAge 02 |

FBR Chairman Tariq has assured the representativesofthePakAnjuman-e-Tajran | See pAge 05 |

US Customs oﬃcers working at the ports of entry along the California border | See pAge 07 |

Customs ASO Faisalabad has seized contraband items worth Rs14,067,920 | See pAge 08 |

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FBR collecting data to broaden tax net Friday, August 11, 2017

National

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to broaden the tax net during the current financial year, sources said. Sources told Customs Today that data of financial transactions will be collected from different sources. The FBR will analyze this data at the head office to identify new taxpayers on the basis of CNICs. However, the data of non NTN holders will be forwarded to National Data Base Registration Authority (NADRA) for verification of addresses and after confirmations, notices would be issued to them u/s 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.

customs seizes narcotics worth Rs70 million during fY2016-17

ISLAMABAD

PESHAWAR

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NADIR khAN

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he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reduced the sales tax rates on petroleum products from 3 to 4.5 percent. After this decision, the petrol prices has been cut by Rs 1.80 per liter. Secretary Sales Tax and Budget Muhammad Zaheer Qureshi has issued a SRO 757 (1) 2015 on 5th August 2017 in this regard. According to the SRO, the FBR has reduced the sales rates on motor spirit (petrol) excluding HOBC 3 percent, from 23.5 percent to 20.5 percent and on high speed diesel 4.5 percent, from 40 to 35.5 percent. While kerosene oil and light diesel oil sales tax rates will remain same. It is pertinent to mention here that four days before on 1st August 2017, Federal Board of Revenue was issued a SRO 713(1) 2017 and through the said SRO FBR had increased the sales tax rates on petroleum products from 3 percent to 6.5 percent. FBR increased the sales tax rates from 20.5 percent to 23.5 percent on motor spirit (petrol) excluding HOBC and 33.5 percent to 40 percent on high speed diesel (HSD). On Saturday FBR has issued a revised sales tax rates notification regarding petrol and diesel and increased sales rates on petrol while on diesel only 4.5 percent reduction has been made after the increased of 6.5 percent.

he Custom Collectorate with collaboration of Anti Narcotics Force seized narcotics of different quality along with heroine and puppy crops worth of Rs70 million besides arresting of 52 persons in last financial year 20162017. According to anti smuggling units of Custom House Peshawar 1302 kilogram chars worth of Rs10.4 million recovered from the possession of smuggling operation on cross border areas of Pak-Afghan routes. The customs staff also recovered opium of 1302 kilogram worth of Rs7 million. The total amount of heroine recovered by the custom authorities was also 1302 kilogram having value of Rs4.8 million. The total value of the recovered narcotics is more than Rs70 million in the previous financial year of 2016-7. The number of arrested persons during the recovery process 52 while the number of convicted persons is 55. The customs anti smuggling units with Anti Narcotics Forces are constantly engaged to avert smuggling bids of narcotics to other province and also at international level. The authorities installed high resolution scanners at Bacha Khan International Airport where not only luggage of the passenger is being checked out but also their

fBR decides to decrease sales tax on petroleum products

bodies abdominal part to recover capsules digested by the smugglers. Authorities said that since the border management with Afghanistan smuggling activities of narcotics significantly reduced to low level as compare to previous years while the ratio would be declined further with effective steps taken by ANF and Custom Peshawar. Meanwhile, The Customs Collec-

torate surpassed its target by collecting Rs1512.99 million in the month of July 2017 against Rs953.47 million of the previous July 2016 having remarkable differences of Rs559.52 million with 56.08 percent. According to reliable data collected from Peshawar Customs House, in head of customs duties Rs490.25 million collected against previous July of

2016 which was Rs 334.18 million having difference of Rs15655.07 million while the difference in percentage was recorded 37.74 percent. In term of sale tax on import the house collected Rs377.53 million in July 2017 against the figure of previous year of Rs262.20 million. The difference in rupees was recorded Rs115.33 million while the difference in percentage was recorded 44.67 percent.

‘Say No to corruption’ campaign showing good results’ N

ISLAMABAD

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ational Accountability Bureau (NAB) has engaged different organizations, civil society and other segments of society to aware people about ill effects of corruption under its special campaign across the country. Chairman NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said this while chairing a meeting held here to review latest

progress on awareness and prevention campaign on ‘Say No To Corruption’. He said as per positive feedback received from various segments of society, the campaign had been effectively highlighted in print, electronic and social media. Highlighting the measures adopted under the campaign, he said ATM machines of all scheduled banks now carry “Say No to Corruption” message. The Bureau organized a national seminar on World Anti-Corruption

Day at Aiwan Sadr and participated by diplomats, civil society representatives, senior government officers and media. NAB also organized a walk at Aiwan-Sadr which was led by President in which people from all walks of life participated and join hands with NAB in its awareness campaign. Moreover, NAB and Higher Education Commission (HEC) have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for creating awareness amongst students of various

universities and colleges. Over 42,000 Character Building Societies (CBS) have been established. SNGPL, IESCO, LESCO, GEPCO, FESCO and K-Electric have joined hands with NAB to print “Say No to Corruption” from their platform. IESCO and other organizations have started printing NAB message on electricity bills and gas bills. NAB, in collaboration with Islamabad Traffic Police, has started printing Say No to Corruption on driving licenses. NAB in collabora-

tion with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has disseminated ‘Say No to Corruption’ to all mobile phone subscribers through mobile phone companies at eve of World Anti-Corruption Day. Ministry of National Health Services is also joining hands with NAB to print NAB message on all cigarette packs. NAB’s message is being printed on all government tenders issued for publication in newspapers in Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.

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ISLAMABAD

m fAIZAN

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ederal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Mehmood Pasha has assured the representatives of the Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran and Tajran Action Committee that tax filing system and process will be simplified so that less educated persons could submit tax returns without the help of any lawyer. He stated this during a meeting with a delegation of the two traders organizations led by Sharjeel Mir at the FBR headquarters. The delegation was consisted of Chairman Anjuman-e-Tajran Sheikh Saddique, Chief Patron Chauhdary Iqbal, spokesman Naveed Qamar, Patron-in-chief of Grain Market Rawalpindi Sheikh Asif, and representatives of the Goods Transport Association Raja Zafar and Zahid Bakhtawari. The delegation briefed the chairman that there are 3.2 to 3.5 million traders in the country they could be brought into the tax net. They assured the chairman of their cooperation in this regard. President Sharjeel Mir said that Pakistan Anjuman-eTajran is ready to work closely with FBR for brining the non filers traders in the tax net through broadening the tax base. Delegation advised chairman that taxpayers should be provided state-of-the-art facilitates at airports, railway stations, jospital and in other state institutions. Delegation also requested chairman FBR that Taxpayers Audit system need to be little

change, FBR should not put the name of those taxpayers in next balloting which has already included in the audit list as a result of balloting. Old system should restore for taxpayers audit and given them three year exemption if FBR audit their accounts. Chairman FBR said that this year FBR cannot review on this proposal but in next year FBR will revisit this decision. Chairman FBR also said that this kind of interaction is crucial to know and understand one anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view. He stressed the need to bring the Taxpayers and FBR closer

d the briefe n o i t a leg e 3.2 ere ar the de h t t a the an th ders in chairm a r t n o milli d be to 3.5 y coul e h t y r t count tax ne to the n i t h broug

and to remove the misunderstandings, if any, to build a stronger relationship. Meanwhile, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Mehmood Pasha will personally listen to appeals filed by six inspectors of the Inland Revenue Service. The names of inspectors are Waqar Ahmed Khan, Asad Mehmood, Shafqatul Zaman, Akmal Hussain Shah, Muhammad Javaid and Muhammad Imran. According to the details, all inspectors are working in different Regional Tax Offices. These inspectors are facing charges of corruption and misconduct and misuse of powers and government authority. The FBR chairman has directed them to bring all the relevant documents with them, which could prove their innocence. He will give personal hearing to all inspectors on the same day. According to sources all six inspectors were suspended by the relevant authority after the report of inquiry officers. The report was against them and it had been proved that all inspectors were found involved in corruption and misuse of powers. Inquiry officers were recommended to Member Administration Federal Board of Revenue for penalty. These inspectors have been appealed before the member administration and a last opportunity was given to them but they have failed to prove their innocence. Now they have appealed before the chairman which has been accepted. According to law this is the last forum and if they have failed to satisfied chairman FBR than they could have face punishment of major penalty, which might be dismissal from service.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

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eDItoRIAL

truth about chinese domination

ccording to newspaper reports, Pakistan’s imports from China increased by 30 percent last year. Most of the imports consisted of material for electricity-generation projects, construction equipment and agricultural machinery but it disturbed the trade balance between the two countries. The country’s current account deficits recorded over 121 percent increase between July last year and February and are coming as a challenge for the newly established government of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The country is already facing political uncertainty, financial indiscipline and terrorism. India and Afghanistan are trying to manipulate this situation and are doing their best to defame Pakistan in the comity of nation and damage its economy. India has oﬃcially launched a disinformation campaign against China Pakistan Economic Corridor to create doubts in the minds of the people of Pakistan and instigate voices of dissents in smaller provinces. Some Pakistani economists, influenced by the Indian propaganda, have already started diatribe against the mega projects. According to them, Pakistan will have to return $90 billion to China over the next 30 years because the corridor would become its liability then an asset. However, they have failed to understand that Pakistan will be able to pay the cost under the head of transit fees. A new set up is in place in Islamabad and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has plenty of time and resources to prove his mettle. He has time to devise economic and administrative policies to guide the nation as well as the government on the road of development. Pakistan’s exports are declining, creating a vacuum for China to fill it at the cost of local industry. What the government has to do is to set up industrial zones and export processing zones at the earliest to attract foreign direct investment, including from the Chinese entrepreneurs. As a matter of fact, the process of development has been started in Pakistan and he has to push the government to concentrate on one point agenda and that is to keep consistency in his policies. The current account deficits are piling up and banking on the Chinese investment alone would not be a wise decision. The volume of foreign direct investment was abysmal last year, but the situation is improving during the current financial year.

Dilemma of textile city project A

LAHORE

DR AftAB AfZAL

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fter spending more than Rs2.5 billion public money on the Pakistan Textile City project, the government has decided to wind it up in the national interest. The ambitious project, factually an industrial zone dedicated to the textile processing and related industries, was launched in 2009 over an area of 1250 acres in Karachi. The city was made public-private joint venture company driven by the vision to develop and operate a state-of-the-art industrial zone to boost value added textile products. But the project soon

ran into financial troubles with liabilities reaching over Rs5 billion during the last eight years. After years of mismanagement, corruption and administrative failure, its board of governors has now decided to close it up. A prominent board member told the Senate committee on ports and shipping that a general body meeting of the investors and shareholders has been called to decide the fate of the mega project. At least 75 percent investors are required to vote for winding up the project, as it is allegedly causing Rs800,000 per day loss to the national exchequer. With a decision to close the project, the officials

would continue the traditions of making and breaking process of the national building programme. Now after years of ill-planning and mismanagement, all the assets of the company will be disposed of and the land will be transferred to the Port Qasim Authority, which had earlier leased it to the city. The burden of all the liabilities of the company will be placed on the port to sort out the matter from its own resources. At least 56 percent shares of the company were owned by the federal government and 16 percent by the Sindh government. However, despite the involvement of the federal and provincial gov-

ernments, the project could not get even gas and electricity connections, leaving the area waterless during the whole years. This shows how the official cadres is lethargic in acting on time. In the absence of an accountability mechanism, it will be difficult to fix responsibility of the losses on anyone. This is the dilemma of this nation that precious national exchequer is wasted away and no one is held responsible for it. Billions of dollars have been lost on Nandipur Power Project, Kalabagh Dam project, Neelum Jhelum hydro power project and the latest on Textile City Project. God knows when this process will end.

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Australia bans bulk carrier over unpaid wages Friday August 11, 2017

World

CANBERRA: The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Bahamas-ﬂagged bulk carrier MV Rena from Australian ports for six months after the ship repeatedly failed to pay outstanding wages and maintain a safe workplace for its crew. AMSA received a complaint from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) on June 30 alleging the crew had not been paid their wages for several months. AMSA conducted a port state control inspection when the ship arrived at Hay Point in Queensland on 6 July, issuing a number of serious deﬁciencies including; Failure of the emergency generator to start; Failure of the life boat starting arrangements; Short comings in the safety management system (ISM); and Failure to pay crew the cash component of their wages which totalled about $53,000.

cBp oﬃcer seizes $3.3m in drugs, capture 17 fugitives

uk prepared to sign off on £36bn Brexit exit bill LONDON

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SAN DIEGO

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US Customs and Border Protection officers working at the ports of entry along the California border with Mexico over the weekend intercepted 1,500 pounds of narcotics valued at more than $3.3 million and captured 17 fugitives. From Fri, Aug. 4, through Sun, Aug. 6, CBP officers intercepted more than 470 pounds of methamphetamine, 72 pounds of cocaine, over 1,000 pounds of marijuana and 11 pounds of heroin. CBP officers discovered the narcotics hidden inside vehicles in various places such as the vehicle’s floor, fenders, doors, tires and quarter panels. During the same time period, the 17 fugitives were arrested for various charges that included attempted murder, aggravated assault, larceny and parole violations. A significant

tehran, Rome to launch utility cooperation n official at Ministry of Energy reported on formation of a joint working group between Iran and Italy to expand ties in water and electricity sectors. Hamidreza Tashayoei, Head of Export Promotion and Logistics at the Iranian Ministry of Energy, made the remarks at a meeting with Italy’s economy attaché to Tehran Carmelo Ficarra in Tehran. The Iranian side described Italy as an outstanding country who has held constructive cooperation with Iran following implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “Strategic and special relations exist between Tehran and Rome and, given the sensitivity and vastness of water and electricity industry in Iran, proper venues for cooperation are available between the two sides,” he underlined. –CB Report

apprehension that occurred at the San Ysidro port of entry PedWest facility is listed below. On Aug. 4, at approximately 2:05 p.m., a 33-yearold male U.S. citizen later identified as Carlos Beltran was escorted on foot to the San Ysidro Port of Entry Pedestrian West Crossing by Mexican authorities. CBP Officers took

custody of the man and conducted a query to get biometric information via the “Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System” (IAFIS). CBP officers confirmed that Beltran was wanted by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for attempted murder, which carried a bail of $1 million.

milk shortages lead to hike in dairy produce prices

ver the last year, the supermarket price of a litre of milk has risen by 1.50 kroner. After several years of falling milk prices, farmers have responded by producing less of it. Together with an increase in worldwide demand, this has led to higher prices, reports DR Nyheder. Farmers are now getting 2.77 kroner per litre for milk which is 49 percent more than last summer, the dairy

company Arla’s press officer Theis Brøgger explained, and the trend is expected to continue for a little while yet. “We’re seeing it especially with regard to butter, cheese products and cream, as there is a lack of milk fat.” Dairy farmer Hans Jakob Fenger produces 5 million litres of milk per year, and with 91 øre more per litre, that adds up to around 5 million kroner in extra profits. –CB Report

owning Street has denied reports it is prepared to sign off on a £36 billion Brexit payment to the EU after Whitehall sources were quoted putting a figure on the UK’s “divorce bill” for the first time. Reports suggest the government is willing to make staged payments of up to €40 billion if the EU agreed to open talks on a post-Brexit trade deal. With three weeks until the next round of Brexit talks, discussion of the scale of the UK’s liabilities to the EU would open the door to a compromise on one of the key sticking points in negotiations of an October deadline. European sources have previously been quoted putting the size of those commitments much

higher, at between €60 and €100 billion. Ministers have rejected those figures, but conceded in July that the UK must meet its financial “obligations” to the EU. “We know their position is €60billion, but the actual bottom line is €50billion,” an unnamed senior Whitehall source told the Sunday Telegraph. Ours is closer to €30billion, but the landing zone is €40billion, even if the public and politicians are not all there yet.” Two other anonymous sources were quoted putting the sum at between €30-40 billion. The comments strike a very different tone to the one used by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson before the parliamentary recess, in which he told EU leaders they could “go whistle” if they wanted an “exorbitant” payment from the UK. But the figure was dismissed as “highly speculative and wrong” by a Downing Street official.

Australian taxation system broken

hile all eyes focus on the spectacular systems failure at the Commonwealth Bank, in fact the catastrophic failures of the Australian Taxation Office systems will do more harm to the nation. Both system failures highlight just how big and growing a threat the cash economy (and the often associated drug trade) has become to the nation. In the ATO’s case the system failures hit two fronts the interface with accountants has become unreliable but more importantly the so called “Bunnings” affair has hit at the core of the nation’s efforts to curb the ballooning cash

economy. There was extensive publicity when the ATO introduced a system whereby building contractors would be required to attach their Australian Business Number (ABN) to every commercial contract they invoiced. The system did not apply to retail transactions so small cash economy repair jobs on the residential house were untouched. Nevertheless, by tackling the commercial sector, the ATO had taken a big step. The idea was that, just as in credit cards, if contractors put down the wrong ABN number or no ABN number in a commercial transaction they would be pinged. –CB Report

canada, china free trade deal taking shape

OTTAWA

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hina and Canada have broadly agreed what should be included in a future free trade agreement, after a third round of “exploratory” talks. The two nations held intensive fiveday negotiations in Beijing be-

tween July 31 and August 4. Both sides exchanged views on the joint feasibility study report and each other’s expectation on the future free trade agreement, and were said by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to have reached “extensive consensuses.” They committed to completing a joint feasibility study and engaging in further discussions as soon as pos-

sible. Earlier discussions were held in February and April. Meanwhile, LNG Canada, a joint venture led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, is aiming for an investment decision next year on building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on British Columbia’s coast, its chief executive said on Thursday. Andy Calitz said work on the up to C$40 billion ($31.79 billion)

project is “extremely active” and has not been slowed by Malaysian oil company Petronas’ decision last week to scrap its LNG project in the Western Canadian province, nor by a recent change in provincial government. “We want to be in construction in 2018 … It means that you need to take a FID in 2018,” Calitz said, using the acronym for a final investment decision.

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Customs Court convicts three in tax evasion case KARACHI: Customs Taxation and Anti-Smuggling Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi convicted Tikam Das and Muhammad Yousaf Baig for already undergone period in customs/ judicial custody. Both were booked in a duty and taxes evasion case of Rs 10,395,263. The court also convicted till rising of the court and imposed a fine of Rs 200,000 on the third suspect, Hafiz Mehdi Hassan. He will undergo simple imprisonment for one year in case he fails to pay the fine.

Friday, August 11, 2017

CUSTOMS BULLETIN

faisalabad ASo confiscates huge quantity of contraband items FAISALABAD NAeem SheIkh

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he Collectorate of Customs Anti Smuggling Organization (ASO) Faisalabad has seized contraband items worth Rs14,067,920 during the month of July 2017. According to the details, the ASO seized contraband items from different locations of Faisalabad city, including Chanab Nagar, Sargodha Road, Gattwala, Karkhana Bazar, Railway Colony and other areas. The items were seized on the information of Collector Muhammad Sadiq and under the supervision of Deputy Collector Usman Tariq and according to Import and Export Control Act 1950 punishable under section 156(1)89(i) 90 of the Custom Act 1969. The ASO team comprising Superintendent Tanveer Raza Naqvi, Inspector Faizi Raza, Muhammad Tanveer, Safdar Ali, Sepoys Muhammad Khalid, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Ashraf, Liaqat Ali, and Afzal Hussain participated in the raids. The customs officials confiscated the items as the accused persons failed to produce documents regarding legal import of the items. Later, the seizure report was sub-

mitted to the adjudication department for further proceedings. As per the details in the seized items included four vehicles under Section

(U/S 157), being used for smuggling transportation worth Rs39,00,000 and four others non duty paid vehicle under section (U/S 16 NDP),

worth Rs19,00,000, foreign origin cloth 1020 kilograms worth Rs642600, tyres and tubes (14 numbers) worth Rs1,00,000, smuggled

diesel 47450-kilograms worth Rs, 17,00,000 and various other contraband items worth Rs 5825320 during July of fiscal year 2017-18.

‘parliamentary exchanges to further cement pak-korea ties’ ISLAMABAD

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peaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Monday said Pakistan is committed to a sustained and comprehensive bilateral engagement with Republic of Korea. “Pakistan is a promising market for Korean technological and manufacturing expertise,” he said talking to Speaker of the National Assembly

of Republic of Korea, Chung SyeKyun who called on him here at the Parliament House. Convener of the Pak-Korean Friendship Group, Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh was also present. Wide range of issues including enhancing parliamentary and economic ties between Pakistan and Republic of Korea came under discussion. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said Pakistan’s strong agricultural base, richness in natural resources and Korean expertise in manufacturing and technology offers immense scope for joint collaboration. He said Pakistan pursues inter-re-

gional and intra-regional connectivity with an unflinching resolve and Korea shines prominently in Pakistan’s strategic calculations for spurring innovation and technological advancement. He urged his Korean counterpart to play a role in facilitating Pakistan’s access to Korean market and assured him that Pakistani political leadership will reciprocate the gesture of friendship. He speaker said facilitating investors, private sector and cooperation in tourism and education will open up new avenues of cooperation and collaboration.

Ayaz Sadiq said Pakistan believed in peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue and wanted peace and security in the region for prosperity and development. He urged international community to take notice of deteriorating situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and sought condemnation of the Indian brutalities at the highest level. Referring to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as game-changer project for the regional development, he remarked that realization of CPEC is manifestation of shared dream of unprecedented prosperity for

Published by M S Raza Oﬀ# 42, 3rd Flr Gull Plaza M.A Road Karachi, Printed by Dhoom Printing Building No RY/A, 11/6,11/7, Mashoor Mahal,oﬀ I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi

our Region. The speaker further said Parliament of Pakistan is determined to add new dimensions and strength to the existing bilateral ties. He highlighted that Parliamentary Friendship Groups offers an excellent avenue for facilitating inter-parliamentary relations. He underlined the need for frequent exchange of parliamentary delegation from either side. Speaker of the National Assembly of Republic of Korea acknowledged Pakistan’s gesture of friendship with Korea and aspiration for enhanced bilateral trade between the two states.