Plea to make clearance of transit trade goods easy

PESHAWAR: All Pakistan Customs Agents Association has said implementation of dual operations including One Customs System and Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) for clearance of goods for Afghanistan and reverse cargo to Karachi has created a lot of problems for business community besides inflicting huge financial losses due to payment of detention charges.

In a press statement issued here on Thursday, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, an office-bearer of the association, said vehicles or containers remain blocked at Karachi Port in clearance system after unloading of goods as a result of which vehicle owners have to pay holding charges and for containers demurrage.

Afghan Reverse cargo after getting loaded from Torkham, Ghulam Khan and Chaman cargo reaches the Karachi Port where it faces problem in de-sealing of containers due to non-functioning of WeBOC system, he added.

He said due to incomplete module of WeBOC when down transit goods are unloaded at the Karachi Port, then customs agent concerned have to prepare CRF form from the Directorate of Transit Trade and clearance of goods under both the WeBOC and One Customs System that take a lot of days, creating problems for the business community who have to suffer in shape of extra payment for detention or demurrages heads.

“If WeBOC module is incomplete and needs a lot of work for completion then why has it been implemented,” Zia asked.He requested the relevant department to allow clearance of transit trade goods, especially down transit through One Custom System until the WeBOC is fully made operational in the entire country.