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ollectorate of Customs AntiSmuggling Organization squad raided a passenger train coming from Chaman to Quetta at Quetta Railway station and recovered huge quantity of foreign origin smuggled items which includes cigarettes, mobile phone, auto parts, airconditioned, LCD, crockery heaters, blankets worth Rs250 million. According to details told by Collector Ashraf Ali, that after receiving credible information about

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smuggling attempts. He foil an anti-smuggling squad comprising Deputy Collector Maqbool Baloch, Superintendents Maqsood Durrani and Niamat Kakar to foil these attempts.

FC and Police also assisted Custom during six and half hour long raid which took place during the night of 24th November 9.00PM and lasted at the mid night of 25th November at 3:30 am.

The collector stated that smuggling at any level from any source or way would not be tolerated and MCC Quetta pledged to stop it at any level. He informed press that this unprecedented action had been made possible due to enhanced and strengthening of Customs anti-smuggling wing.

FBR decides to appoint focal person for tax heaven countries

DG Valuation Surriya directs to review VR No 795/2016

ASO recovers huge quantity of welding electrodes worth Rs22.57m

Customs Preventive seizes huge quantity of smuggled betel nuts

Multan Customs earns Rs15.76mthrough auction of confiscated goods & vehicles

FBRhasdecidedtoappointfocalpersonfor taxheavencountriespertainingtocustoms | SEE pAgE 02 |

DG Valuation asked Iqbal Muneeb to review the VRuling No. 795/2016 | SEE pAgE 03 |

ASO recovered huge quantity of Afghan transit welding electrodes from a godown | SEE pAgE 04 |

Customs Preventive team seized huge quantity of smuggled betel nuts | SEE pAgE 09 |

CollectorateofCustomsearnedRs15.76m throughpublicauctionofconfiscatedgoods | SEE pAgE 16 |

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FBR issues notices to 1.22m taxpayers facing audit cases Friday, November 30, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued notices to at least 1.22 million taxpayers whose audit cases are pending with FBR under Section 214-D of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, FBR sources told Customs Today.

According to official sources, the board has issued notices to 0.3 million of taxpayers whose audit cases are pending since tax year 2015, 0.4 million taxpayers cases belong to tax year 2016, 0.2 million are pending since 2017 while at least 0.428 million are those taxpayers who are submitting income tax returns with zero tax paid, however, they are still in active taxpayers list.

Islamabad

fBR decides to appoint focal person for tax heaven countries

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

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he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to seek approval from the cabinet to impose tax on smuggled mobile phones.

The tax machinery estimates that import of illegal phones in the market causes heavy revenue losses to the federal exchequer annually.

“We will submit the summary in the next cabinet meeting,” the official said requesting anonymity. As per the proposed plan, the tax authority has worked out a plan to tax all those smuggled phones which are currently inactive and still in shops as unsold stock. A cut-off date within the range of one to one and half months will be announced for owners of such phones for availing the scheme to legalise it, the official said.

Past the deadline, the official said, all those phones will become redundant on which duties are not paid at the nearest customs point.

Such phone sets, either smuggled before the deadline, or after that, will not be activated. However, phone sets currently in use whether legally imported or smuggled will be exempted from the payment of duty.

The payment of duty on smuggled phone will depend upon the category they belonged to.

In 2017-18, Pakistan’s legal imports value of mobile phones reached $847.656 million in 2017-18.

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ederal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to appoint focal person for tax heaven countries pertaining to customs-related mutual cooperation and data sharing, it is learnt here.

According to ofTicial sources, the board has already established a high-level cell to monitor the implementations of action plan suggested

by Financial Action Task Force (FATF) under the supervision of FBR Chairman Jahanzeb Khan which will also continue dialogue on the agreement on data sharing and mutual cooperation on tax-related issues with these 11 tax heaven countries; however, the board will now appoint a focal persons. Sources further told that FBR has the authority to deal and sign agreement with other countries for customs to customs data sharing while it was also a suggestion under the action plan by the FATF. For the implementation of FATF’s action plan, a letter was sent to customs department on 18, July 2018 assigning it the task and targets. The letter was included the targets with recommended actions, sources conTirmed. Sources said that the customs department almost implemented all the points suggested in FATF’s action plan; however, for the remaining points to be implemented, the de-

fBR seeking cabinet approval for taxing smuggled mobiles

partment has expedited the working.

Meanwhile, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced that Malakand division has been exempted by the government from all kinds of taxes up to the year 2023.

No income tax is being withheld on electricity and telephone bills of individuals domiciled in afore-

said areas of Malakand division or company and association of persons residents of these areas but the sales tax on electricity is chargeable on the electricity supplied to the division. FBR stated that sales tax on services is a provincial subject and the same is payable under the provincial law.

FBR has also informed that no exemption of federal excise is available to Malakand division.

The Federal Excise Act, 2005, and the duties levied therein are applicable to aforesaid areas after the omission of Article 247 of the constitution through the aforesaid amendment.

pakistan’s tax revenue increases to Rs975.2b in Q1

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ISLAMABAD

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he government’s total expenditures during the Tirst quarter (July-September) of the current Tiscal year increased by 11 per cent to Rs1.588 trillion against the expenditures of Rs1.431 trillion during the same period of last year.

“The current expenditures of the government also increased to Rs1.479 trillion in the Tirst three

months of Financial Year 2018-19 (FY19) as compared to Rs1.24 trillion during the same period of FY18,” according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Finance.

“Out of total expenditures, federal expenses stood at Rs999.25 billion while that of provinces recorded at Rs480.6 billion.”

Total revenue of the country during the Tirst quarter of the current Tiscal year increase to Rs1.102 trillion against the income of Rs1.025 trillion in the same period of last

year. The tax revenue also increased from Rs911.38 billion in Q1FY18 to Rs975.2 billion during the same period of the current Tiscal year. Out of the total tax revenue, the federal share of tax revenue during Q1FY19 remained Rs886.58 billion while the provincial share of tax revenue remained at Rs88.62 billion.

According to details, during the corresponding period, servicing of domestic debt stood at Rs461.728 billion whereas the servicing of foreign debt was recorded at Rs45.335

billion. Under the head of superannuation allowances and pensions, an amount of Rs84.75 billion was spent, whereas for grants (other than provinces) Rs53 billion were spent during the Tirst quarter of FY19. Total spending on the development sector was recorded at Rs108.964 billion out of which Rs50.872 billion were spent under the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and Rs55.727 billion were spent under provincial PSDP. During July-September 2018-19, the gov-

ernment spent Rs713.44 billion for general public service, Rs219.392 billion for defence affairs and services, Rs32.727 billion for public orders and safety affairs, and Rs6.378 billion for economic affairs.

Similarly, Rs222 million were spent on environmental protection, Rs357 million on housing and community amenities, Rs3.285 billion on health, Rs3.577 billion on recreation, culture and religion, Rs19.53 billion on education affairs and services and Rs444 million on social protection.

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Court sends suspect to jail booked in smuggling of mobile phone smuggling KARACHI: The Customs Court sent suspect namely Taj Muhammad S/o Baig Muhammad to jail on judicial remand, who is involved in a case of attempting to smuggle non-duty paid Q Mobile phones etc.

Investigation officer produced above mentioned suspect before the court and informed that on actionable information, a customs team intercepted a Toyota Hiace van bearing registration No JF-9264 near the Moachko Choke Point RCD Highway, Karachi.

Shc seeks comments on petition filed by m/s hansika Enterprises

Friday November 30, 2018

Karachi

Dg Valuation Surriya directs to review VR no 795/2016

KARACHI

m.B RAnA

www.customsbulletin.com he Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs officials and deputy attorney general to file their para-wise comments on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Hansika Enterprises against enhancement of valuation of imported consignments of tooth brushes.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing the petition. During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated in his constitutional petition that petitioner is a proprietor and engaged in the import and supply of tooth brushes and seriously aggrieved and highly prejudiced by the actions of the respondents, whereby the customs officials are assessing the imported consignments of tooth brushes and demanding duties and taxes on the basis of the Valuation Ruling No 1218/2017.

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nAB raids Bahria Town office at Super highway KARACHI

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team from the National Accountability Bureau has raided an office of Malik Raiz’s Bahria Town off the Super Highway in Karachi.

The NAB officials seized some documents from Bahria Town’s office. The raid was conducted after we found an important piece of evidence from an office of the Malir Development Authority in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, a NAB official said. A NAB spokesperson declined to comment on the raid and said details would be released to the media soon. NAB had raided an office of the MDA and found what it said was an important document against Bahria Town. The MDA is accused of illegally transferring government land to Bahria Town on Karachi’s Super highway. The case is being heard in the Supreme Court. A three-member bench of the apex court has barred Bahria Town from collecting more installments from allottees.

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KARACHI

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ustoms Valuation Director General Surriya Ahmed Butt asked Director Valuation Iqbal Muneeb to review the Valuation Ruling No. 795/2016 for removing deTiciencies in accordance with law and also taking on board the regular major importers as well as the representatives of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FPCCI) and Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industries (KCCI). According to the details, M/s Faraz Knit Wear agitated against Valuation Ruling No.795/2016 that the department has not made the working/calculations properly while notifying the customs values of the Acrylic Yarn.

They also agitated against the price parity maintained between the Acrylic Yarn from various regions. The departmental representatives explained the valuation methodologies adopted by them to arrive at the customs values determined vide the impugned ruling. After detailed deliberation of the case, Director General Surriya Ahmed Butt advised Director Customs Valuation Iqbal Muneeb to revisit the Valuation Ruling No.795/ 2016 for removing the deTiciencies. Meanwhile, Customs Valuation Director General Surriya Ahmed Butt asked Director Valuation Iqbal Muneeb to review the Valuation Ruling No. 803/2016 for removing deTiciencies in accordance

with law and also taking on board the regular major importers as well as the representatives of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FPCCI) and Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industries (KCCI). According to the details, M/s Bazeer Traders agitated against Valuation Ruling No.803/2016 that the department has not made the working/calculations properly while notifying the customs values of the Melamine Powder.

They also agitated against the price

Director general Surriya Ahmed Butt advised Director customs Valuation Iqbal muneeb to revisit the Valuation Ruling no.795/ 2016 for removing the deficiencies

court accepts challan in mobile smuggling case

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KARACHI

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he Customs Court accepted interim charge-sheet against suspect namely Taj Muhammad, son of Baig Muhammad, who was involved in a case of attempting to smuggle non-duty paid QMobile phones etc. Investigation ofTicer submitted interim charge-sheet and informed the court that on an actionable information, a customs

team intercepted a Toyota Hiace van bearing registration no: JF-9264 near Moachko chowk point RCD Highway, Karachi.

He informed the court that during the search, customs ofTicials found 108 QMobile phones SP-2000 & SP 3000 valuing at Rs216,000; 59 Nokia 3310 Mobile phones worth Rs236,000; 432 Nokia assorted brand mobile phones worth Rs648,000; 1050 packets of assorted brand Indian gutka (88500 pouches of 117 kg) worth

Rs1,327,500; 12 SISCO satellite receiver made in China, model D9865 valuing at Rs36,000; 2 cartons (56 kilogram) containing SPARK chocolate made in Iran worth Rs14,840 from the said Hiace.

He said that during the search, arrested accused was asked to produce lawful documents, however, he failed to produce any lawful documents, therefore, goods were seized and shifted to Customs House and suspect also was arrested.

parity maintained between the Melamine Powder from various regions. The departmental representatives explained the valuation methodologies adopted by them to arrive at the customs values determined vide the impugned ruling. After detailed deliberation of the case, Director General Surriya Ahmed Butt advised Director Customs Valuation Iqbal Muneeb to revisit the Valuation Ruling No. 803/ 2016 for removing the deTiciencies.

pak rupee loses value against dollar he Pakistani rupee weakened against the US dollar in open market and remained unchanged in interbank. As per local money market, the dollar added five paisas in cash-free market for buying at Rs135 and 10 paisas for selling at Rs135.40, while US currency closed unchanged in interbank for buying at Rs133.70 and for selling at Rs133.90.

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Container loaded with cosmetics slips from truck on Jail Road Friday November 30, 2018

Lahore

LAHORE: Deputy Collector Customs Collectorate of Preventive T-10, Railway Station Naveedur Rehman Bugvi distributed work among appraising officers and office superintendent.

According to the notification Appraising Officer Naveed Iqbal Cheema will also perform his duties in import appraisement and external/internal audit. Appraising Officer Sidra Nayyer Zaidi who is currently on training course will perform her duties in import/export appraisement, law and internal audit department.

customs Tribunal rejects appeal filed by owner of nDp vehicle LAHORE

SAJID nAwAZ

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ustoms Appellate Tribunal upheld the impugned order in the conTiscation of goods and mini Mazda truck.

The case was Tiled by Raja Intisar Mehbood, a resident of Rawalpindi against Collector of Customs Adjudication and director, Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Gujranwala. Muhammad Sadiq, member technical bench-II heard the arguments from the appellant and respondent and passed the judgment that there is no need to interfere in impugned order regarding conTiscation but the conTiscation of the vehicle is annulled.

As per details of the case, on information, the staff of Intelli-

nAB raids Bahria Town office at karachi’s Super highway team from the National Accountability Bureau has raided an office of Malik Raiz’s Bahria Town off the Super Highway. The NAB officials seized some documents from Bahria Town’s office. The raid was conducted after we found an important piece of evidence from an office of the Malir Development Authority in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, a NAB official said on Wednesday. A NAB spokesperson declined to comment on the raid and said details would be released to the media soon. NAB had raided an office of the MDA on November 26 and found what it said was an important document against Bahria Town. The MDA is accused of illegally transferring government land to Bahria Town on Karachi’s Super highway. The case is being heard in the Supreme Court. A three-member bench of the apex court has barred Bahria Town from collecting more installments from allottees. –CB Report

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gence and Investigation Rahwali, Gujranwala intercepted a truck loaded with smuggled goods, padlocks of assorted size, velvet cloths, ‘boski’ clothes and shoes.

On demand, the two available persons failed to produce any lawful documents regarding lawful possession of goods, therefore, recovered goods were seized under Section 168 of Customs Act 1969.

The adjudication authority charged Rs41,94,168 in duties and taxes. After show cause notice, Adjudication proceeding culminated and order-in-original passed with remarks that after scrutiny of goods the same would be released to the lawful owner on penalty of five percent of the actual value and Hino truck confiscated and allowed to release the vehicle to the owner on payment of 20 percent redemption fine.

ASo recovers huge quantity of welding electrodes worth Rs22.57m LAHORE

m hAYAT

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ollector of Customs Preventive Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) recovered huge quantity of Afghan transit welding electrodes from a godown.

Sources told Customs Today that Additional Collector Tayyaba Kiyani received credible information that huge quantity of Afghan transit welding electrodes dumped in a godown which is located at Branderth Road, Lahore.

Upon receiving the information Additional Collector constituted ASO team which raided the said godown and recovered huge quantity of Afghan transit welding electrodes from a godown.

The approximate weight is 75238 kilograms while its prices in local market are Rs22.57 million.

Sources told that the ASO operation was started at about 12 a.m. and successfully completed at about 6,30 p.m.

The process for shifting and examination of goods from godown

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to State Warehouse Shah Noor Studio is completed at 8 a.m.

Sources told that Customs team already registered a case while further investigations are still in progress till the filing of this report.

‘pakistan utilising chinese expertise ‘govt facilitating, not harassing, taxpayers’ to uplift agriculture sector’ ederal Board of Revenue (FBR) the recovery of penalties reveals a

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rime Minister Imran Khanm has said that Pakistan was taking advantage of the Chinese expertise in the Tield of agriculture.

Chairing a meeting on agriculture and livestock, PM Imran Khan said that restoration of agriculture was a part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manifesto, adding that progress in agriculture would eventually increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. He said that China had assured Pakistan cooperation in the Tield of agriculture and that the government would take beneTit

from the latest research and new tools for the uplifting of the sector. Last month, prior to his visit to China, Prime Minister Imran Khan had expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the agriculture sector and expressed intentions to strengthen it. PM Khan, while chairing a meeting on agriculture at Prime Minister’s OfTice, was informed that the country’s agriculture has been stagnant for past many decades and little work was done to assist the farmers in crop diversiTication, enhancement of yields and mechanisation of the sector.

said the government has facilitated the taxpayers by providing them a one-time option for closing the audit proceedings due to the late Tiling of returns through the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Act 2018.

In an ofTicial statement, FBR has strongly denied news reports in a section of the print media accusing the taxation authorities of harassment of late Tilers, especially salaried individuals. The assertion by the media that FBR is pressurizing taxpayers for additional revenue through

lack of understanding about tax laws and their true intent.

FBR has clariTied that an amendment in income tax law made through Finance Act 2015 by the previous government provided for automatic selection for audit if a person had not Tiled return of income by the due date stipulated under the law. Through Finance Act 2018 this amendment was withdrawn, however the cases that were automatically selected under the said provision prior to its withdrawal were still to be audited.

nAB launches probe into Rs26m pIA catering scam

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LAHORE

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he National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started investigation into alleged Rs26 million irregularities in PIA Islamabad catering service. The bureau has sought record of catering service and promotion of two ofTicials from

the airline management. NAB asked for details of promotion of PIA Islamabad food manager along with a copy of relevant promotions rules and procurement of Rs11 million food items. It also sought details of procurement of Rs15 million food by the store purchase ofTicer.

Earlier, PIA chief daily operating ofTicer had issued show-cause notice to the ofTicials. The notice reads: “You

are responsible for violation of Corporation Rules like misuse of PIA resources, excess procurement and delivering meals to various ofTicers without any demand in written.”

Sources in the airline said the meals were served at PM secretariat and PIA chairman secretariat. The PIA security department kept mum over the issue. Blunders like catering department of Islamabad and boarding

of a private person in PIA catering van and his access to a sensitive area of airport went unchecked. Reportedly, quarters concerned informed the security general manager that that on June 12 that a serious issues came to spotlight when a ‘suspicious person’ climbed the closed gate near old Rangers Checkpoint and sneak into the catering van in courtyard outside loading bay.

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Friday, November 30, 2018

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erusing the instructions of Collector ZulTiqar Ali Chaudhary, the ASO started crackdown against smugglers and registered seven cases against smugglers during third week of November, 2018.

The seized smuggled goods include NDP vehicles, foreign-origin fabrics, coconut, engine, Indian shawls etc worth Rs11.9 million. Superintendent Abid Hussain Malik, while talking with Customs Today, said that it was instructed by the collector that no smuggled consignment or non-duty-paid vehicles allowed to cross the jurisdiction.

He said that after these instructions, the ASO squad tighten its vigilance on all the check posts while mobile car squad also activated its sources and impounded three non-customs-paid vehicles worth Rs6 million, whereas the ASO also seized foreign origin unstitched, stitched cloth, 400 kilogram coconut, smuggled foreign makeup kits and many other smuggled goods. Malik said that seven cases have been registered while investigations are still un-

der way. He added that mostly smuggled consignments were intercepted from GT Road Rawalpindi to Peshawar.

The ASO and car squads of MCC Islamabad will continue its crackdown against smugglers and NDP possessors so smuggling activities could be converted into genuine business the superintendent concluded.

Meanwhile, Collectorate of Customs Collector Zulifaqar Ali Chaudhry has said that Islamabad Collectorate can assist the Inland Revenue ofTicials whenever required to intercept the inTlow of non-duty-paid cigarettes from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) under Section 24 of the Federal Excise Act 2005.

Talking to Customs Today in an exclusive interview, he said that smuggling of cigarettes is very harmful for tax paid tobacco manufacturers who are legally operating in Pakistan. He said that cigarette manufactures are paying very high duty and taxes so it is very essential to protect their rights by seizing smuggled and illicit cigarettes as well as tax evasion. He said that the Collectorate has written a letter to Inland Revenue department for following the Section 24 which says

that all ofTicers of police and customs, sales tax, the civil armed forces and all ofTicers of government engaged in the collection of land‑revenue, and all village ofTicers shall assist the federal excise ofTicers in the execution of this act as and when required by such ofTicers. The Collector informed that mostly non-federal excise duty (FED) paid cigarettes manufactures have been shifted their business from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to Azad Jummu Kashmir.

He added that those manufactures who are manufacturing cigarettes in AJK are paying duty taxes to AJK government but they get cleared dozens of consignments on showing one GD which cause huge tax evasion and the practice showed lack of enforcement in AJK to prevent illegal smuggling of non-duty-paid cigarettes. Telling details of cigarettes manufacturing industry in AJK, he said that there are six manufacturing units working in Mirpur and Bhimber which badly effected targeted market tariff area of the country because they do not pay FED on cigarettes which is causing negative impact on competition as well as on revenue of the country.

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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

Imf and foreign direct investment

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akistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were inconclusive though the press release issued by the Fund stated that ‘dialogue with Pakistani authorities will continue over the coming weeks’ and that there was broad agreement on “the need for a comprehensive agenda of reforms and policy actions aimed at reducing the fiscal and current account deficits, bolstering forex reserves, strengthening social protection, enhancing governance and transparency and laying the foundations for a sustainable job creating growth path.” Broad agreement on the objectives - and clearly there can be no two opinions about what needs to be done given the unsustainable budget and current account deficits, and dwindling foreign exchange reserves (less than two months of imports) - did not translate into an agreement on how to achieve these objectives or the way forward. And the reason is that while the PTI-led administration strongly believes that it will succeed where its predecessors failed, simply because it is more deeply committed to reforms, the IMF believes that the impediments to the achievement of reforms by the previous two administrations, including failure to improve governance in the power sector as well as reform of the tax structure was not due to lack of intent but due to structural issues; for example, the failure to improve receivables by the power sector was due to the government’s inability to disconnect the power supply in the event of non-payment of bills by some consumers and in certain areas; and the inability to raise revenue as a percentage of GDP was attributable to the large number of high asset value non-filers, identified by Nadra, who were legally not subject to federal income tax. Be that as it may, the Prime Minister has led four successful missions to friendly countries - Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia –seeking, at least from three, assistance to meet the country’s external financing needs. However, this success is unlikely to lure foreign direct investment (FDI) which, after exports, is the most desirable form of foreign exchange earnings. The government must focus on increasing FDI as well as exports if it is to succeed in ensuring that the country would not need another IMF bailout package in the short to medium-term.

The invisible economic Decimator I

LAHORE

cuSTomS BuLLETIn REpoRT www.customstoday.com

n economic terms denominator is a more appropriate word. However, decimator is a more appropriate description of how economic gains are eaten and destroyed by a major invisible factor - population growth. Decimators are those factors that kill one in at least 10 people or generally speaking much more. The general view on the birth of children is of great excitement in a household but all households taken together this birth of children at the highest rate is not only unfair to the children already born but to every new child born.

As the number increases the re-

sources at the disposal of households, especially in the lower income strata, and in the country, are creating huge socio economic challenges that deepen the economic and political vulnerability of the country.

The census that was Tinally conducted last year and is still hotly contested has produced alarming Tigures. The census states that the population has grown by 57 per cent since 1998, reaching 207.7 million and making Pakistan the world’s Tifth-most-populous country, surpassing Brazil and ranking behind China, India, the United States and Indonesia. With a birth rate at 2.4% we will be climbing the population ladder faster than the top countries. Unlike the other

countries at the top, Pakistan will be spreading itself thinner and thinner on resources as more mouths and less to feed will make most incremental development and growth disappear behind this explosive increase in people per square inch, per capita, per class room, per toilet, per doctor, per job etc. Population is no longer a ticking time bomb; it has already exploded. Literacy rates instead of going up have gone down from 60% to 58%; water, gas, electricity are all scarcer and poorer in quality; jobs are non-existent—an ideal recipe for extremism, lawlessness, terrorism and violence to breed. In this scenario the government’s announcement in response to the Chief Justice’s suo motu on formu-

lating the task forces at federal and provincial levels to develop a comprehensive action plan on the Tindings of the task force report presented to the Supreme Court is a welcome step. The CCI meeting decided to reduce population growth rate of 2.4 per cent per annum to 1.5 percent. Many analysts believe that this is an over-ambitious target as the lack of literacy and sociocultural taboos will make this target a prolonged pursuit. This analysis may be right if the government pursues the strategy of the previous regimes. Most government’s would be politically afraid to take up a topic that had religious and social taboos as their rural voter may vote against this attempt to regulate family sizes.

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Customs court issues warrants against owners of M/s Hands Industries KARACHI: The Customs Court issued non-bailable warrants against owners of M/s Hands Industries Pvt Ltd and Muhammad Yousaf, proprietor of M/s Yousuf & Co, who have been booked in a case of attempting to smuggle fraudulent clearance of restricted betel nuts in the garb of used cloths for processing at Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ).

Investigation officer of Customs Appraisement East submitted interim charge-sheet against the abovementioned suspects and others and informed the court that owners of M/s Hands Industries Private Limited imported a consignment and declared it as 19000 kilograms used cloths worth Rs840,787.

However, during the examination, customs team found 26985 kilograms betel nuts worth Rs4,986,828 and evaded the duties and taxes in the tune of Rs6,240,716.

m/s hansika Enterprises moves Shc against enhancement of valuation KARACHI

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www.customsbulletin.com /s Hansika Enterprises moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) against enhancement of valuation of imported consignments of toothbrushes and demanding duties and taxes on the basis of the Valuation Ruling No 1218 of 2017.

Counsel for the petitioner stated in his constitutional petition that the petitioner is a proprietor engaged in the import and supply of toothbrushes and seriously aggrieved and highly prejudiced by the actions of the respondents. He said that the customs officials are assessing the imported consignments of toothbrushes and demanding duties and taxes on the basis of the Valuation Ruling No 1218/2017, despite the fact that the impugned valuation ruling is not sustainable in the eyes of the law and has accordingly been challenged by the petitioner under Section 25-A (4) of the act, 1969.

Counsel further argued that while the application is pending final adjudication, the petitioner has sought provisional re-

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Friday November 30, 2018

National

customs preventive seizes huge quantity of smuggled betel nuts A

KARACHI

muBEEn huSSAIn

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Collectorate of Customs Preventive team seized huge quantity of smuggled betel nuts weighting 2070 kilograms and Indian-origin gutka weighting 785 kilograms worth millions of rupees in a successful raid conducted at Super Highway.

According to the details, on the tip-off, Customs Preventive Deputy Collector Muhammad Faisal constituted a team to beef up the security and surveillance at the entry and exit points of the city against the illegal activities of the smugglers.

The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) team checked several vehicles at the Northern bypass near Super Highway and followed the procedure of customs to inquire regarding the legal documents and carried out the search of all kind of luggage carrier.

During the search a passenger bus which was named “Shandar Royal Cruiser” bearing registration no: BSB-03 was intercepted and the team of Customs ASO conducted complete search of the vehicle.

During the search, it was noticed that the bus has no seats for the passenger and it was specially designed for the purpose of contraband goods smuggling. Several bags of smuggled betel nuts and Indian gutka were found. All the bags were discharged from the said passenger

bus and counting was conducted.

The team along with Deputy Collector Muhammad Faisal calculated the recovered bags containing 3,880 packets having 392,840 pouches of assorted Indian gutka weighting seven hundred and eighty Tive kilograms worth

Rs5,892,860 in the market. On the other hand, smuggled betel nuts weighting 2,070 kilograms worth Rs550,620 were also recovered. Total value of seized goods is worth Rs6,443,480. A case has been Tiled whereas two culprits were also apprehended from the spot.

court approves bail of suspect involved in hSD smuggling lease of its consignments until final decision by the DG valuation; however, the respondents have refused such request on the basis of circular issued by Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement South, as a result, the petitioner is coercively and unlawfully being compelled to pay amounts of duties and taxes which are otherwise not leviable, failing which the petitioner is unable to take delivery of its lawfully imported goods.

Citing Federal Board of Revenue Chairman , Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement South, Collector of Customs Appraisement East, Collector of Customs Appraisement West, Director DG Valuation as respondents, the importer pleaded the court to direct the respondents to assess the consignments of toothbrushes imported by the petitioner in terms of Section 25 of the Customs Act, 1969.

KARACHI

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he Customs court granted bail to suspects namely Hameed Ullah and Shamat Khan, who were booked in a case of attempting to smuggle non-duty paid 15,975 liters high speed diesel (HSD).

Investigation ofTicer submitted interim charge-sheet against the above-mentioned suspects and informed that on a actionable information, a team of customs ofTicials intercepted a Hino dumper truck bearing registration no: TGF-910 and recovered 15, 975 liters worth Rs1,437,750 (C&F) from the hidden/false tank beneath the load of gravel (crush stone).

He further submitted that the above-mentioned suspects are on judicial custody. After hearing, the court

accepted interim challan and adjourned the matter for next date of hearing. After that counsel for the both suspects Tiled bail petition and

argued that their clients are innocent and falsely implicated in this case; therefore, the court may grant them bail till Tinal order in this case. After

his arguments, the court granted their bail against the surety of Rs100,000 and directed them to appear before the court on next date of hearing.

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PM, CJP, Chairman NAB asked to intervene to end nepotism from CSB Friday November 30, 2018

National work re-distributed among 34 Appraising officers of Appraisement (East)

ISLAMABAD: Fawad Hassan Fawad, a grade 22 officer who was arrested by the NAB in Ashiana Housing Scheme scandal, during the previous regime targeted efficient and hardworking officers who would not toe his line. For this purpose, he planted Naveed Cheema as chairman FPSC. Sources said his (Fawad) modus operandi was that only scanned portion, cut and paste out of context of efficient officers’ record was presented in the Central Selection Board (CSB) meeting to bias the opinion of members.

Exports post positive growth during 1Q of fY18-19: Razzaq Dawood

KARACHI

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ISLAMABAD

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odel Customs Collectorate of Appraisement (East) Deputy Collector Muhammad Ali Malik has re-distributed work amongst 34 Appraising officers with immediate effect and till further orders. Gohar Hussain, who was working at Group-I; External Audit, has been transferred to Group-V; External Audit, Mujahid Iqbal from Group-I to Group-V, Muhammad Bilal from Group-I; R&D to Group-IV; Law, Muhammad Ali Nadeem from GroupII to Group-IV; Internal Audit, Muhammad Saleem Khan from Group-III; R&D; Internal Audit to Group-VI; Internal Audit, Nadeem Ahmed Khan from Group-III to One Customs, Shakeel John from Group-III to Group-II, Rashid Ali from Group-IV to Group-VI, Qadeer Khan from Group-V to Group-IV, Ilyas Gichki from Group-V; External Audit to Group-VI; R&D, Tariq Usman.

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customs officers’ nominations sought for 27th mcmc he Establishment Division has sought nominations of Pakistan Customs Service officers of BS-18 for the 27th Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC). The nominations of Customs officers have been sought in accordance with the criteria laid down vide its O.M No. 8/5/2018-T-VI dated 16th November, 2018 for 27th MCMC commencing from February 04, 2019 to May 10, 2019 at National Institute of Management (NIM), Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, said a circular issued by Secretary (Mgt. Custms-II) Zakir Muhammad.

All the officers mentioned in the annexed list have been asked to complete their Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs) up June 30, 2018 and submit their latest annual medical examination report to FBR by December 6, 2018, failing which next in order of seniority will be nominated/communicated to the Establishment Division for the course.

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dvisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Textile Abdul Razzaq Dawood said that the structural weaknesses of the export sector of Pakistan are high tariffs on the imported raw materials, high cost of doing business, low productivity, lack of market and product diversiTication.

He informed Senate Committee that exports of the country has increased during Tirst quarter of the current Tinancial year, registering growth of 4.56% from $5.16 billion to $5.36 billion.

Answering a question, he said it is fact that Pakistan lacks in product and market diversiTication as a result of which it accesses low-end

markets and fetches low prices for its products. He also informed that the traditional export products com-

prises more than 70% share of the total exports. In FY 2018, textile group exports share was recorded

at 58.3%, whereas food group share is 20.7%. Pakistan’s export destinations are mainly Tive export countries or regions. In the FY 2018, the share of Pakistan’s exports to USA, China, Afghanistan and United Kingdom remained 16%, 8%, 7% and 6%, respectively. The share of European Union has been 27.3% in FY 2018 in total exports.

The reason for lower prices is lack of value addition, low diversiTication, uncompetitive production methods and inadequate of branding and certiTications. He also informed that Pak-China FTA Phase II negotiations are in progress, wherein, preferable market access is being sought for Pakistan. He also informed that under Pak-Indonesia PTA, Indonesia has agreed to allow import of kinnows and mangoes from Pakistan.

multan customs generates Rs7.05m through auction of goods & vehicles C

MULTAN

ImRAn ALI khAn

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ollectorate of Customs generated Rs7.05 million through auction of non-duty paid vehicles and miscellaneous goods on Wednesday.

According to details, the Collectorate conducted auction of confiscated vehicles and various miscellaneous goods which were seized by Anti-Smuggling Organization in different actions near Sher Shah Bypass, Dry Port Multan. As many as three vehicles of various models were presented in the public sale and all three vehicles of different brands including Toyota Land Cruiser, Honda Accord without engine and Toyota Axio car were sold out in R 3.8 million during auction. Multan Customs presented 70 lots of electronic, auto parts, miscella-

neous items including foreign origin CCTV cameras, old and used telephone sets of different brands, wrist watches, GPS vehicle trackers, car alarming and

others in the auction. Collectorate of Customs successfully sold out 20 lots of goods including tyres, auto parts, electronics goods, baby garments and others during

auction. Many miscellaneous goods were not auctioned due to less interest of bidders and their offered bids were rejected due to fewer prices in the auction.

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Customs recovers $46,000 from Kuwaiti national at NIIA ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs officials deployed at New Islamabad International Airport on Wednesday recovered $46,500 (around Rs6.27 million) from the possession of a Kuwaiti national.

The accused, Khalid al Basiti, was off loaded from a private airline’s flight 206 and taken into custody after he was found responsible of attempting to travel with over $46,000.

Customs officials said the money was confiscated from the passenger during the screening of his luggage. Basiti, who claimed he was a Kuwaiti diplomatic official, could not produce a legal document pertaining to the currency he was carrying.

fBR posts 8% growth in revenues, provincial share declines to 11% KARACHI

m.B. RAnA

www.customsbulletin.com he Federal Board of Revenue has posted approximately eight per cent growth in revenues in the first quarter (July-Sep) of fiscal year 2018-19, while, the share of taxes from provinces in total revenues has fallen to 11% except for Sindh.

During the 1st quarter of FY19, the four provinces in total collected Rs88.6 billion in taxes, which was 2% or Rs1.7 billion higher over the corresponding period of last year.

The provincial tax collection was recorded at a meagre 0.22% of gross domestic product (GDP) and the provinces are entitled to collect general sales tax on services, provincial excise and stamp duties, income only on agriculture and motor vehicle taxes as per the constitution.

Interestingly, provincial share in federal revenues rose to 84% or Rs663 billion of the overall revenues in the first quarter of FY19,

National

‘Decision to separate fBR wings to put positive impact on overall performance’

Investigation against recovered 6 tons smuggled betel nuts started KARACHI

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akistan Customs Anti smuggling Organization (ASO) has started an investigation against the smuggled huge quantity of betel nuts which was recovered in three different raids worth Rs 50 million. According to the details, Pakistan Customs has taken custody of recovered smuggled huge quantity of betel nuts, apprehended in three separate raids conducted by the district west police over the authentic information passed by the informer.

Police Station Site B conducted first raid on a godown No C\12 situated on plot no F-53 Small Industry hub river road and apprehended two trucks loaded with contraband items. After the search, it was surfaced that both the trucks no JZ-4399 and truck no JZ4399JY-8689 were loaded with smuggled 490 betel nuts bags. Second raid was also conducted at the same Site B area at another godown of Small Industry hub River road in which 590 smuggled betel nuts bags recovered which were taken into the custody. Third raid was also conducted at the authentic information passed by the informer over which a Suzuki was intercepted at Siemens Chowrangi situated at Korangi Industrial area in which two culprits along with hundreds of bags of smuggled betel nuts were recovered.

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somewhat because of delayed transfers by the federal government. Likewise, the provincial governments’ current expenditure also posted a double-digit increase and they cut their development spending to Rs55.7 billion, 41.7% less than the corresponding quarter of last year. Punjab’s tax collection during the first quarter was recorded at Rs42.6 billion, which was 5.3% or Rs2.4 billion lower as per the fiscal operations summary. Consequently, Punjab’s share of tax collection in overall revenues declined to 10.8% from 16% previously.

The Punjab government received Rs326 billion from the federal government under the NFC Award, an increase of 63%. However, the provincial was able to save Rs126.4 billion from its budget and its collection in shape of sales tax on services declined 8.7% during the 1st quarter of FY19.

In the aforementioned period, Punjab’s total expenditures rose to Rs264.4 million, however, development funding was cut by 54% to Rs30.3 billion.

Friday November 30, 2018

irectorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Additional Collector Shahid Jan has said that the government has taken a positive decision to create separate departments like Member Policy and Member Enforcement of FBR, which will put a positive impact on overall performance of the apex revenue au-

thority of the country. While talking to Customs Today, Shahid Jan said that after stern instructions, almost all the staff members are attending ofTice punctually from 9am to 5pm as per government rules. Talking about performance of Customs Department, he said that members of Asia PaciTic Group of FATF appreciated the performance of Customs Department during their visit to Pakistan last month, where they asked the Pakistan Cus-

toms to concentrate on performance and improve enforcement. Shahid Jan said that Customs fetched 45% of revenue out of total revenue collection of the country which illustrates that Pakistan Customs is working up to the mark. Regarding matter relating to the revenue collection, he added that the government should focus on performance of Inland Revenue Service (IRS), “I mean if IRS works properly, the country can grab more revenue”.

omni group files reply in disputed ITreturn notices case

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ShAhID mInhAS

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he Sindh High Court (SHC) directed FBR’s counsel to Tile rejoinder on four constitutional petitions Tiled by Anwar Majeed, owner of Omni Group of Companies and his sons against notices for income tax return for 2011.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heard the matter. During the hearing, Amjad Javaid Hashmi, counsel for Omni Group, submitted his comments in which he stated that FBR had directed Tield formalities throughout the country that notices

to taxpayer may be served as per mode of service provided in section 218 of TTO 2001 and electric service may be resorted to as an additional means of service for formalities of the taxpayer and may not be treated as a legal mode of service.

Hashmi also argued that after several year back, FBR can’t issue notice for recovery, however, court passed remarks that court will decide legality of notice period. However, petitioners have to pay tax return for 2011. During the hearing, counsel for FBR was absent; therefore, the court directed counsel for FBR to submit rejoinder on next date of hearing. Counsel for the Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed,

Nimr Majeed and Ali Kamal Majeed stated in their petitions that Deputy Commissioner IR Enforcement & Collection Unit-03, Zone-11 sent notices to them stating, “you have not furnished return of income for the tax year 2011, therefore, you are, hereby, requested to furnish return of income for the said tax year, in the prescribed form and veriTied in the prescribed manner, please note that failure to comply with any of the terms of this notices may result in a best judgment assessment under sub section 1 of section 122 c of the said ordinance, and may also render you liable to penalty under sub section 1 of section 182 or prosecution under section 191 of the

said ordinance or both”. Counsel argued that petitioners agitated against illegal, arbitrary and time-bared notices dated 16/11/2016 which have been issued without jurisdiction by respondents under Sub Section 4 of Section 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. Citing Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Deputy Commissioner IR Enforcement & Collection Unit-03, Zone-11 and others as respondents, petitioners pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents as illegal, mala Tide and arbitrary, counsel also pleaded the court to set aside impugned notices and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioners.

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US Sanction Waivers Boost China’s Demand For Iranian Oil

World Customs

Shanghai : Iran’s largest oil customer China is set to continue importing robust volumes of Iranian crude at least through the end of this year thanks to the US waivers to eight countries that will allow them to keep importing oil from Tehran at reduced volumes until early May next year.

To be sure, even before the U.S. granted the waivers, China was thought to be pretty much the only certain Iranian oil customer to continue importing oil from Iran after the US sanctions returned.

Friday November 30, 2018

SL customs seizes smuggled gold, cigarettes worth Rs6m

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The kosovo quandary is a win for Russia or nearly two decades, President Vladimir Putin has been on a mission to make Russia great again – to borrow a phrase from his American counterpart – and to right what he sees as the greatest “wrong”in the country’s recent history: the collapse of the USSR and the loss of its superpower status. In this grand geopolitical quest, tiny Kosovo has also played a special role. Putin sees NATO’s military intervention in 1999 and the 2008 unilateral declaration of independence as a direct affront to Russian power in its traditional sphere of influence in the Balkans. This view is also broadly held in Serbia, which considers Kosovo to be historically Serbian territory. In recent years, as the United States and the European Union increasingly appear to have failed to bring a lasting solution to the Serbia-Kosovo dispute, Russia has moved from being an outright supporter of Belgrade to trying to assume the role of a mediator.

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COLOMBO

ri Lanka Customs ofTicials at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake have arrested a three Sri Lankan passenger who was attempting to smuggle in gold worth over Rs 4 million. The three passengers arrived from Bangkok had the gold items carefully concealed in their clothes.

The total weight of the gold is 684 grams. The suspects are residents of Ja-Ela, Minuwangoda and Colombo.

Meanwhile, the ofTicials of the Customs Narcotic Control Division at the Arrival Lounge of the airport have arrested a female passenger, who had arrived from Dubai, for attempting to smuggle in 19,920 sticks of foreign cigarettes.

The cigarette sticks, contained in 99 cartons and 06 packets, were de-

kSA growing influence in Southeast Asia

tected while hidden inside the suspect’s travelling bag. The stock of cigarettes is estimated to be valued at Rs 990,000. The 49-year-old female suspect is a resident of Madurankuliya area. In a separate incident, Customs ofTicers attached to the BIA have detained another Sri Lankan passenger for attempting to smuggle in 174 cartons of foreign

cigarettes containing 34,800 cigarette sticks. The contraband estimated to be worth over Rs 1.7 million was seized while hidden inside the suspect’s travelling bag. The 32year-old suspect, who had arrived from Dubai this morning (19) is a resident of Kuliyapitiya. Customs ofTicers attached to the BIA are conducting further investigations.

‘Russia-uS Trade Raises 8.5% Year-on-Year Despite Sanctions’

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rade between Russia and the United States increased by 8.5 per cent year-on-year in the Tirst nine months of 2018, compared to the same period last year, and stood at $18,019 billion, according to the data published by the Russian Federal Customs Service (FTS).

According to the data, exports from Russia to the United States in the given period totalled $8,611 billion, having increased by 13.9 per cent, while im-

ports to Russia from the United States stood at $9,408 billion, which is a 3.9per cent increase. US share in Russia’s total foreign trade dropped from 4 per cent last year to 3.6 per cent in January-September 2018. Non-CIS Imports to Russia Up 7.1% to $174.8Bln in January-October Russia’s imports from countries not part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) increased by 7.1 per cent year-on-year between January and October.

he revelation of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey is harming Saudi Arabia’s international relations, including with Muslim majority Southeast Asian countries Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad closed the Saudibacked King Salman Centre for International Peace. Malaysia is also withdrawing troops from Saudi Arabia. In Indonesia, in addition to uneasiness about Khashoggi’s fate, people are protesting against the Saudi execution of Indonesian domestic worker Tuti Tursilawati without warning Jakarta.

But, despite signs of change, the inTluence of Saudi money and ideology may be too big to dismantle in these countries. Saudi reach Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia shares similar values and was constructed and merged with the ancient Melayu cul-

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ture in 625. Initially spread through arts such as music and wayang (theatre), it emphasises not only moderation and compassion but also respect for local customs. Amid growing inTluence from Saudi scholars throughout the past two decades, however, there has been a change in how both countries interpret Islamic studies.

Meawhile, In an exclamation point-laden statement released by the White House President Donald Trump contradicted a reported Central Intelligence Agency Tinding that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman not only knew about, but actually ordered the assassination of critic and Washington Post columnist Jamal Kashoggi. Maybe bin Salman did know about it, the statement read, “and maybe he didn’t!” As President Trump’s Tinancial ties to inTluential Saudi oligarchs were a topic of intense scrutiny in light of the Kashoggi killing, so too were his dealings with wealthy Russian Tigures, relationships that garnered interest in light of an ongoing Special Counsel-led investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

china’s exports to uS increase rowth in Chinese exports to the United States ticked up in October as traders rushed to beat a new tariff increase in a battle over Beijing’s technology policy.

Shipments to the United States, China’s biggest market, have been unexpectedly resilient since President Donald Trump started imposing punitive tariffs on goods in July in a Tight over Beijing’s technology policy. Exports rose 13.3 percent in October over a year earlier to $42.7 billion, up from September’s 13 percent growth, customs data showed. China’s trade surplus with the United States narrowed to $31.8 billion from Septem-

ber’s record $34.1 billion as imports of American goods rose 8.5 percent to $10.9 billion. Traders are rushing to beat a U.S. tariff increase planned for January, ING economist Iris Pang said in a report. Pang said they are pessimistic this month’s planned meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Argentina will yield positive results. “We expect this frontloading behavior to continue for the rest of 2018,” Pang said. “Continued strong export growth in October reTlected accelerated deliveries of export orders ahead of the US tariff hike,” said Rajiv Biswas, Asia PaciTic chief economist at IHS Markit in Singapore.

china eases customs for korean chemical drugs

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BEIJING

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hina will carry out customs inspection on Korean chemical medicines only once at the initial stage and exempt them from inspections thereafter, the Korean government said. As it took about two to four weeks for Korean chem-

ical drugs to go through Chinese customs, the new measure will signiTicantly reduce the customs time.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy attended the regular meeting of the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade in Geneva, Switzerland, from Nov. 13-

15. The participants discussed how to deal with foreign technical regulations that have become an obstacle to entry into overseas markets. The government ofTicials conducted bilateral consultations with 15 countries on 30 foreign technical barriers. They ofTicially raised SpeciTic Trade Concerns (STC) on Tive regulations at a multilateral meeting where all the member states participated. STC involves a particu-

lar trade issue that a member state can ofTicially appeal to WTO’s TBT committee when it sees a possible negative impact on its export to the trading partner country. At the meeting, participants discussed China’s network security law (cybersecurity law), internationally certiTied test report on medical devices, registration fees for medical devices, and attached certiTicates for imported foods.

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Key points in the EU-UK Brexit agreement London : The European Union has formally approved a divorce agreement with Britain, the first country ever to leave the 28-nation bloc. The deal consists of a legally binding withdrawal agreement that runs more than 580 pages, and a 26-page political declaration on future relations.

Transition period: Britain will leave the EU on March 29 but remain inside the bloc’s single market and be bound by its rules until the end of December 2020, while the two sides work out a new trade relationship. The transition period can be extended for up to two years before July 1, 2020, if both parties decide more time is needed.

kalmar drives eco-efficiency at uS port almar’s new all-electric terminal tractor is helping the Port of Long Beach meet its eco-efficiency objectives while satisfying the commercial demands of the users of the secondbusiest container seaport in the US. The Port of Long Beach in California handles trade worth in excess of $180bn from 175 shipping lines connecting to 217 seaports around the world. In 2017, more than 7.5 million container units passed through the port.

US port operators are increasingly demanding more environmentally friendly machines and Californian ports have taken a lead in this respect by setting a target of having fully electric fleets by 2030. Ports present some unique environmental challenges given their frequent proximity to residential areas.

Diesel emissions are a major concern – especially when transiting to and from the port to inland drayage concentrations, warehouses and other facilities – and the potential inclusion of external warehousing under the port’s emissions

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Ports & Shipping

china’s Xuelong makes port call at Australia’s hobart T

SYDNEY

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he icebreaker, also known as the Snow Dragon, is on China’s 35th Antarctic research expedition. During the stay in Hobart, the research team will upload supplies including fuel and food, as well as some research equipment, said Han Yanji, an ofTicial in charge of general management of the Antarctic mission.

Some 26 researchers will also board the vessel here, said Han. The ship is scheduled to leave Hobart Sunday evening and sail toward China’s Zhongshan Station in Antarctic, said Shen Quan, captain of Xuelong. The ship has traveled some 5,000 nautical miles (about 9,800 km) since it set out for this mission from Shanghai on Nov. 2.

According to its plan, the research expedition will work on facility maintenance and upgrading at China’s Antarctic stations, conduct a maritime environment investigation, and make preparations for the construction of a new research station on Inexpressible Island.

China’s research icebreaker Xuelong docked in Australia’s port of Hobart Saturday morning to replenish supplies, the last time it will do so before sailing to the Antarctic.

The icebreaker, also known as the Snow Dragon, is on China’s 35th Antarctic research expedition.

Meanwhile, China sent 102,100 tonnes of alumina to Iceland in October, according to data released

by the General Administration of Customs. The Nordic country, where companies including Alcoa and Rio Tinto have aluminium smelters, was the biggest recipient of China’s booming alumina exports last month, the data showed.

China in October exported a total of 460,072 tonnes of the substance used to make aluminium, the most since at least 2014.

Friday November 30, 2018

oil price rises as Saudi Arabia pledges supply cut eil Wilson of Markets.com points out that any official oil output cut will require co-operation between Opec members, and Russia too.

As mentioned earlier, Moscow may not be persuaded that they should cut production to get the oil price up again.

“Saudi Arabia has announced a cut to December crude output, a sign that it’s prepared to curb production to stem the decline in oil prices. The country will pump 500,000 barrels a day fewer next month than it has been in November Brent rallied from 7-month lows at just above $69 to trade above $71.50. Having found support at $59.30, US crude has firmed to $61 but is struggling hold that handle. In the short term this is a positive for oil, but we must question the impact longer term unless it’s the sign of more to come from OPEC. Saudi Arabia cannot act alone though – realistically it needs to pull together OPEC allies and, critically, Russia to curb production if it wants prices to hold. The language from Russia suggests it is not ready to follow the Saudis yet.

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china to build $1.3-bn deep-sea port in myanmar output has highlighted the issue of ‘incidental emissions’.

At a recent public meeting, a resident of nearby Oakland observed that because of increased enforcement at the port, trucks were idling throughout his area, while a resident of Fontana, which lies to the north east of Los Angeles, said a solution to “the increasing number of trucks and warehouses in our neighbourhoods” was required. Californian regulators are considering indirect source rules designed to reduce emissions from vehicles associated with a facility by imposing limits on emissions per unit of cargo. Proposals include new fees or ‘gate rates’ for heavy duty diesel trucks entering port terminals. Port of Long Beach in the heart of electrification project Kalmar has been working with port authorities to improve air quality in the Long Beach area for more than a decade.

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hina has clinched a multi-billion-dollar deal to build a port at a strategic town along the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar, its third project in India’s neighbourhood after Sri Lanka and Pakistan. China and Myanmar signed an agreement to build the deep sea port project in Kyaukpyu town after negotiations dragged for years due to Tinancing and other issues, state-run Global Times reported. China is also developing deepwater strategic Gwadar port in Pakistan in the Arabian Sea which faces the Mumbai coast.

It has also acquired Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on debt swap in the Indian Ocean. China has persistently denied the String of Pearls theory of building a strategic network

of ports to encircle India.

The Chinese consortium led by State-owned conglomerate Citic Group signed the framework agreement with the Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone Management Committee on the development of the Kyaukpyu, deep-sea port, at a ceremony in the Myanmar capital of Nay Pyi Taw, the report said.

Under the framework agreement, China will fund 70 per cent of the investment for the project and Myanmar will pitch in the remaining 30 per cent. The initial phase of the project will include two berths with a total investment of $1.3 billion, according to the agreement.

A joint venture will be set up to construct and operate the port. The signing of the framework agreement marks a signiTicant step for the port project, which has been stalled since 2015, and for the continued implementation of the China-proposed

Belt and Road initiative (BRI), which has come under increased scrutiny because of the cases such as the Kyaukpyu port project, the report said. The Chinese consortium Tirst won the bid to construct the port in December 2015 with an estimated investment of USD 7 billion but further development was halted due to a disagreement between the two sides over details of the project’s funding. This is the biggest project China had secured after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi took charge of the government replacing the prolonged rule of pro-China military junta. Prolonged negotiations fuelled criticism of the BRI as it could add to Myanmar debts and even threaten other countries’ sovereignty. The Kyaukpyu project is estimated to bring 100,000 jobs to the local community and will contribute as much as USD 15 billion in tax revenue to Myanmar.

Once completed, the port will have an annual gross output of $3.2 billion, the report said.

Meanwhile, China’s business activities were mixed in October, as retail sales grew at the slowest pace in Tive months, while growth in industrial output and investment accelerated. Retail sales in China rose 8.6% in October from a year earlier, slowing from a 9.2% on-year gain in September, the National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. October’s rise missed a median forecast for 9.2% growth from a Wall Street Journal poll of 19 economists. Value-added industrial output in China rose 5.9% in October from a year earlier, accelerating slightly from a 5.8% on-year increase in September and beating economists’ median forecast for 5.7% growth. Fixed-asset investment outside Chinese rural households climbed 5.7% in the January-October period from a year earlier.

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ANF seizes 4.25kg ice heroin at Islamabad Airport Friday November 30, 2018

Business

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) arrested the head of a drug pusher gang with 4.25-kilogram ice heroin worth millions of rupees at Islamabad Airport.

The ANF sources said that during a search of baggage of passengers at Islamabad International Airport, 4.25-kilogram ice heroin was recovered. The ANF confiscated the recovered drug worth millions of rupees in the international market and arrested the accused identified as Shabeer hailing from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and stated to be head of a notorious drug pusher gang who was being interrogated after registering a case against him.

no gas load-shedding during winter, decides Ecc ISLAMABAD

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he Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has decided that there will be no load shedding of gas this winter.

The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Asad Umar, decided to inject 150-200mmcdf in the system and import LNG to cover up the gas shortage. Gas load-shedding, especially in Punjab and Balochistan, accompanies winter every year due to a shortage in the system. Every year authorities attempt to overcome the shortfall, yet the issue has persisted.

The last meeting had discussed the issues pertaining to LNG termi-

property tax increased by 10pc RAWALPINDI

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nal construction and the production of gas from the Dhok Hussain One Field. The ECC had approved a supply of 10mmfc gas from Betam Tield and 12mmfc from Dhok Hussain One Field. The ECC on Tuesday also

Rs35b money laundering case: Zardari, faryal record statements before JIT

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he Punjab government has increased the property tax by 10 per cent across the province, it was learnt. According to media reports, the Punjab excise secretary has issued orders that those residents who pay their taxes till December 31st will be given a rebate of 5 per cent. The excise director has directed 23 excise inspectors appointed in circles of all four zones to collect Rs500 million till December 31st. The process of collection of property tax, which was suspended four months ago, has been started again after the government orders.

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approved a plan to issue Islamic bonds with an aim to scale down the circular debt of the country.

The ECC also allowed the Power Division to avail Islamic funding to pay off circular debt for which a com-

mittee has already been formed. The committee will decide on the procedure for the Islamic funding. According to sources, approximately Rs100 billion in loans would be taken from Islamic banks. Meanwhile, Minister of Finance, Asad Umar has declared Tuesday as an excellent day for foreign investment perceptive in Pakistan. He revealed that two popular multinationals have shown interest in investing in Pakistan. Federal Minister for Finance shared the news on his ofTicial twitter handle that, “Excellent day from a foreign investment perspective. Global Chairman Suzuki Motors visited & expressed interest in investing $450 million to expand car production in Pak & world biggest energy company Exxon Mobil re opened there ofTice in Pak 27 years after leaving the country.

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KARACHI

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ormer president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur appeared individually and recorded their statement before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating Rs35 billion money laundering case involving several fake bank accounts.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also summoned Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to record his

statement. However, he could not appear before the JIT today.

According to the party leaders, instead of appearing before the JIT, Bilawal will give a written response to the questions given to him by the FIA through his lawyer. Both Talpur and the PPP co-chairman approximately spent an hour and a half each before the investigators at the FIA complex.

Strict security measures were taken to thwart any untoward incident taking place. Bomb disposal squad and sniffing dogs had cleared the whole area before the arrival of two PPP leaders.

A heavy contingent of Rangers was

also deployed besides sharp shooters on rooftops of the surrounding buildings. Sources said that a six-member JIT interrogated Zardari and Talpur regarding the alleged transfer of illgotten money in Zardari Group’s bank accounts. Other matters including illegal allotment of public land in Sindh, corruption of different provincial government institutions, providing facilities to inTluential property developer in violation with the code of conduct, transfer of ‘black money’ through hawala and hundi and questions regarding the overseas properties were also asked by the JIT members.

punjab govt seizes Ishaq Dar’s Rs500m ISLAMABAD

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istrict authorities in Punjab have transferred over Rs500 million from former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s bank accounts to the provincial government following directives issued by an accountability court in Islamabad.

The court ordered authorities to auction movable and immovable assets of the former finance minister and seize his bank accounts. Dar was declared a proclaimed offender after he failed to appear before the court despite repeated summoning requests. The accountability court had previously ruled in a petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking the sale of Dar’s assets and asking the court to appoint a ‘receiver’ to collect and deposit the amount in the state treasury.

The details submitted by NAB show ownership of six bank accounts in Lahore and Islamabad, 13 assets within Pakistan and seven assets/companies abroad. According to the list, Dar possesses two Mercedes Benz vehicles, three Land Cruisers and one Toyota Corolla. His wife is the co-owner of one of the Land Cruisers. His properties include a two-kanal plot in the Parliament Enclave, another two-kanal plot with Ayaz Builders (Pvt) Ltd, six-acre land in Mauza Milot (with his wife as the co-owner), a plot in Mauza Bhubtian and another plot in Senate Cooperative Housing Society.

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Shehbaz Sharif handed in nAB custody till Dec 6 LAHORE

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n accountability court on Wednesday extended Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif’s physical remand till December 6 in the Ashiana Housing scheme scam.

Shehbaz, who has been in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody since October 5 in

connection to the case, was presented before an accountability court as the accountability watchdog sought an extension in his remand. Prior to the hearing, security had been tightened in and around the court premises and roads leading to it had been blocked for trafTic. Judge Saeed Najam, who was hearing the case, asked NAB how long the opposition leader in the National Assembly, has been in custody. NAB prosecutor Waris Ali Jan-

jua responded that Shehbaz has been in custody for 54 days.

“Shehbaz was given a questionnaire regarding the case on Nov 19 but he submitted his written reply in the case yesterday (Tuesday),” Janjua said, adding that in reply to three or four questions, Shehbaz has said that he does not remember the correct details and will have to check [some documents] to answer them. Shehbaz’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz argued that investi-

gation into the case had been going on since January this year, and that the PML-N president had been in NAB custody for 54 days now.

“NAB is looking to extend Shehbaz’s remand illegally and without cause,” the lawyer argued in court, adding that the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) had already taken all of the information regarding the PML-N president’s tax details. “In 2011 Shehbaz gave his son Hamza a gift of Rs80 million.

The details of that were not mentioned in his tax returns,” Janjua contended. “This occurred two years prior [to the scope of the investigation], why is it being linked to the Aashiana investigation?”

Shehbaz’s lawyer asked. “From what [point in] time is NAB investigating the case,” the judge asked after hearing this exchange, to which Janjua replied that NAB had been investigating the matter since December 2012.

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Govt’s Kartarpur decision highly laudable: ICCI ISLAMABAD: The business community fully support the decision to build Kartarpur corridor to facilitate Sikhs travel to the final resting place of Baba Guru Nanak, a business leader said.

The decision will not only help Sikhs to visit Pakistan without a visa but it can also bring Pakistan and India together while improving the image of Islamabad, said Daroo Khan Achakzai, FPCCI’s presidential candidate. Speaking to the business community, he said that both the countries have decided to allow decades-old proposal which can also pave way for resolving other disputes. This is a significant breakthrough which is highly praiseworthy and so important that Prime Minister Imran Khan would be breaking ground it, he added.

clean pakistan goal can only be achieved through public private partnership

Friday November 30, 2018

Chambers

RccI inks mou with greek- pakistan chamber of commerce

RAWALPINDI

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tate Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said that pollution is one of the main issues that PTI led federal government aims to tackle through initiatives like the Clean and Green Pakistan. The government has launched the 10 Billion Trees Tsunami project on patron of the Billion Trees Project of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which would play vital role in tackling climate change issues in Pakistan. The “Clean Green Pakistan Movement” has also been launched by the prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan in October 2018 and Ministry of Climate Change is coordinating its implementation with all the provinces including AJK and GB. Addressing business community

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at Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) she said that Clean Pakistan goal can only be achieved through public private partnership and chamber of commerce can play a vital role in bridging the gap between Government and private sector. She lauded the RCCI efforts in promoting business activities in the region and also appreciated its key initiatives under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) including plantation of 50,000 tree samplings, RCCI Dasterkhawan and medical clinic. The minister welcomed RCCI’s key suggestion for better environment like inspection of commercial and private vehicles, identification of long survival trees along with area climate, ownership, curriculum , clean drinking water and rain water conservation. Earlier President RCCI Malik Shahid Saleem in his welcome address said that traders are ready to join Government for its efforts to address the climate change through various steps including tree plantation, ban on plastic bags and use of renewable energy.

RAQALPINDI

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he Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and Greek-Pakistan Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Acting President RCCI Muhammad Badar Haroon and President GPCCI Maria-Rubina Markopoulou signed and exchange documents at a ceremony attended by Chamber representatives including Vice President Fayyaz Qureshi, Vice Chairman Regional Trade Khurshid Berlas and Secretary General Irfan Mannan Khan. While commenting on the occasion, Acting President RCCI Muhammad Badar Haroon said that the major objective of this MOU was to promote bilateral trade ties and mutual beneTits of the business communities of the both countries.

Both parties will cooperate with each other to establish and develop direct and effective business relations between their respective ofTices and to facilitate arranging business to business (B2B) meetings on

reciprocal basis. He also gave a short brieTing on RCCI key initiatives, exhibitions and Women Business Incubation Center (WBIC).

On this occasion, Maria-Rubina Markopoulou, said the trade volume between the two countries was 70 million dollar and this can be increased to 100 million dollar in next couple of years. She said a Greek trade delegation will visit Pakistan soon. Gems and jewelry can be a

promising sector to explore joint ventures and investment opportunities in tourism, she added.

She informed that GPCCI aims to provide and ensure a fertile ground of information, business opportunities, co-operation and a productive network for corporations and individuals that are seeking to invest on the proTit promising business opportunities of the Greek and Pakistani region equally but also we are

‘Brazil keen to boost bilateral trade with pakistan’ ISLAMABAD

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razil was keen to boost bilateral trade with Pakistan as both countries have great potential to enhance trade in many items. This was said by H.E. Claudio Raja Gabaglia Lins, Ambassador of Brazil while addressing business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The Deputy Head of Mission of Brazil Embassy also accompanied him.

The Envoy said that new governments have taken over in Pakistan and Brazil and hoped that they would focus on further strengthening trade ties. He said that Pakistan was producing many products which had great demand in Brazil and stressed that Pakistani exporters should make more efforts

to enhance exports with Brazil. He said the volume of existing exports from Pakistan to Brazil could be further enhanced with strong efforts.

The Brazilian envoy said that many Pakistani products entering Europe were being resold to other countries including Brazil at higher prices and emphasized that Pakistani exporters should focus on promoting direct exports to achieve better results. He said that Brazil has great expertise in producing renewable energy as it was producing 65 percent of energy from water and was using ethanol as biofuels.

He said Pakistan has enormous potential for hydropower while it was one of the larges sugar producer.

Thus Brazil could cooperate with Pakistan for energy production from renewable sources including hydro and ethanol sources. He said Pakistan has also great potential for

tourism and it should focus on improving road infrastructure and air service to its tourist resorts for attracting more tourists from around the world including Brazil. He assured that his Embassy would fully cooperate with Pakistani private sector in further enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries.

Speaking at the occasion, Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that bilateral trade of around USD 660 million between Pakistan and Brazil was not reTlective of their true potential and both should focus on developing strong business linkages between their private sectors to explore all untapped areas of mutual cooperation. He said frequent exchange of trade missions and organizing exhibitions on reciprocal basis would greatly help in improving trade volume.

very concerned on the further enhancement the Greek-Pakistani business and local relations through the designation of our countries cultural and social heritage.

Under the agreement, both parties will assist each other in organizing exhibitions, conferences, seminars, international fair, research and development, information sharing, mutual trade and joint ventures.

Somalia wants to strengthen trade ties with pakistan eputy Commercial Attaché, Embassy of Somalia, Abdifitah Abdul Kadir Osman has said that Pakistan and Somalia have very strong historical relations that must be reflected in mutual trade and economic ties.

While talking to the LCCI Vice President Fahim-ur-Rehman Saigal, he called for making visa process easy and business friendly. He invited Pakistani businessmen to step into joint ventures with their counterparts in pharmaceutical and various other sectors. He said that all sectors of economy in Somalia are open for Pakistani Investors. He said that exchange of trade delegation can help strengthen the mutual trade and economic relations.

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Nowshera anti-smuggling unit foils six attempts of smuggling PESHAWAR: Customs anti-Smuggling squad seized a huge quantity of non-customs paid goods at GT Road near Pabbi area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sources told Customs Today that the Customs anti-smuggling unit impounded non-customs paid cloth and other goods from a passenger bus bearing registration no: C-2311 and six cars. The NDP goods contained cosmetics electronic goods along kid sports toys. The sources informed that woman smuggler arrested while smuggling the foreign origin cloth.

Friday, November 30, 2018

CUSTOMS BULLETIN

multan customs earns Rs15.76m through auction of confiscated goods & vehicles MULTAN ImRAn ALI

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ollectorate of Customs earned Rs 15.76 million through public auction of conTiscated goods and vehicles lying at the State Warehouse.

According to details, the Collectorate offered 12 various conTiscated vehicles in the auction and sold 11 out of presented vehicles.

The auctioned vehicles were of different brands and models including Toyota Mark X, Nissan Tida, Honda Civic, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Vitz, Honda Civic (Reborn) and others. These conTiscated vehicles were sold out in Rs 15.51 million.

All these non-customs-paid vehicles offered in the auction were impounded by Anti-Smuggling Organization in their different actions from jurisdiction.

Only one vehicle was not auctioned due to stay order of the High Court and it was dropped from the auction on the direction of the court.

Customs Collectorate offered 70 different lots of cell phones, tyres, plastic dana, clothes, hand bags, cosmetics, Rani Juices, garments and other items. Multan Customs sold out three lots of miscellaneous

goods in Rs25,000 only including LED and others. No bidders showed any interest in the bidding of cell phones and garments in the

auction. It is important to mention here that cellular companies were only allowed to participate in the bid of cell phones of different

brands but they did not participate in the auction. Deputy Collector Saqib-ur -Rehman and Assistant Collector Multan Dry Port Muham-

mad Ikram supervised the whole auction of confiscated goods and vehicles at Multan Dry Port to ensure transparency.

faisalabad Appraisement collects Rs854.747 million FAISALABAD

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ustoms Collectorate Appraisement collected revenue of Rs 854.747 million in wake of duty and taxes during the first three weeks of November of current Fiscal Year 2018. Sources told Customs Today that under the supervision of Assistant Collector Ameer Ahmed the

Customs Appraisement collected Rs403.179 million under the head of customs duty.

Appraisement collected Rs437.190 million as sales tax besides generating Rs14.357 million under the head of income tax. Assistant Collector Ameer Ahmed said that Customs Appraisement already sent notices to a number of tax defaulters in recent months asking them to clear outstanding tax dues at the earliest to avoid stern action.

Meanwhile, Customs Adjudication Additional Collector

Asma Hameed ordered to release the confiscated 310 drums of petroleum products and tanker.

As per details, the ASO intercepted an oil tanker bearing registration no: TLN-715 and recovered 310 drums of petroleum products which were being transported from Quetta to Faisalabad. The driver Bilal Ahmed produced import GD no: 5098 which declared the consignment as white spirit. On suspicion, the said trailer was brought to customs dry port for detailed examination.

Over non-satisfactory situation, the team impounded the oil tanker along with petroleum products and forwarded the case to the adjudication. Additional Collector Asma Hameed heard the case where the case record thoroughly put forth by the respondents as well as the seizing agency. The plea of the respondent is that the seized petroleum products were cleared from MCC Quetta after payment of duty and taxes and the goods were released vide C No 5098 NLC/DP/2018/11467.

Lab report of the goods was

Published by M S Raza O# 42, 3rd Flr Gull Plaza M.A Road Karachi, Printed by (Ibne Hassan Oset Printing Press, Shop No. 33 to 36 , Hockey Stadium, Karachi).

conducted by customs authorities Quetta at the time of import from Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan, Quetta.

The goods were sold by the importer M/s Durrani Enterprises to the present claimant owner Ahmed Shah. Considering the circumstances, a lenient view is taken under Section 181 of the Customs Act 1969 and goods are given to the lawful owner against payment of redemption fine equal to 20% of the value.

He is warned to exercise due care in future while booking the goods.