close
Thursday July 10, 2025

Customs develops system to share trade data with China

By our correspondents
January 03, 2017

LAHORE: Pakistan Customs has developed a system to exchange trade data between Pakistan and China.

This system, "Connectivity Buss", would play a vital role in controlling the issue of under-invoicing, said Zahid Khokhar, chief collector Customs, Karachi, while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday.

The chief collector Customs said “Connectivity Buss” is a modern system developed with the latest technology that would drastically reduce under-invoicing in trade with China. A modern system is also being developed to check trading goods. It would reduce human involvement and ensure transparency.

He said WeBOC is a programme of international level and far better than the contrary software. This system has been developed by the local experts and entire world is acknowledging its efficiency. Regarding electronic I-Form, he said, data has been compiled and brought into this system. The work is well on the way to make this system friendly, he added.

Khokhar said that smuggling has been reduced due to the efforts of the law-enforcement agencies. Stringent measures have also been taken to control illegal trade from Pakistan-Afghan border. Basit said that the business community is striving hard to sustain their businesses through persistent hard work and efforts. The economic policies of the current government are playing a positive role in reviving the economy of the country, he added.

The Customs department and the business community have to work closely with each other to carry out business activities, he added. "Being president of the premier chamber of the country with a membership base of over 18,000, I would like to draw your attention to a few issues of core importance.”

“The LCCI members should be educated regarding laws, procedures and SOPs followed by the Customs through seminars, workshops and hands on trainings,” he said.

Importers are facing various problems, while transporting imported goods from the ports to their warehouses, as they are frequently stopped by the Custom personnel on various check points during transit, he added.

"We believe that the consignments once cleared by the Customs authorities should not be checked time and again, while moving upcountry," the LCCI president added.

Unnecessary delays in the clearance of goods on the part of the Customs Department should be minimised to save businesses from incurring financial losses, Basit said

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should amend WeBOC, as only a few options are available in the system if any changes / modifications are required to be made. Importers are facing various problems on the ports. When goods are cleared under database or after appraisement, post-audit recovery notices based on ice gate / guidelines should not be issued, he demanded. Basit said that the government should take steps to control smuggling at the borders. The Frontier Core deployed there should be equipped with the state-of-the-art technology equipment and should be made more vigilant.

They should be advised and educated to play their role in controlling smuggling by exercising their authority under the Customs Act, the FPCCI president added. Basit proposed an online system between borders, which should be an essential prerequisite for the importing and exporting parties, consequently giving them pre-arrival information about the trade items. Former LCCI office-bearers Shahid Hassan Sheikh, Malik Tahir Javed, Aftab Ahmed Vohra and Shafqat Saeed Piracha said that the number and ratio of duties and taxes should be reduced to promote the tax culture.

The Afghan Transit Trade is one of the major sources of smuggling; therefore, the government should review it, they said, adding that there should be a time limit for audit, as audit for the last 18-20 years is a sheer injustice. They suggested that those items, which falls under higher duty should be given green channel facility and should be given exemption from examination.