Withdrawal of excise stamp urged

KARACHI: All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCCA) has approached the Sindh government to withdraw the requirement of excise stamp on payment challan for consignment clearance.

In a letter sent to Director General, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Department on Saturday the association apprised that during manual regime the excise stamp on payment challan was mandatory with the aim to intimate the concerned authorities at ports about the payment of duty and taxes. “But now the entire system is automated and this requirement is redundant,” it added.

The APCCA also informed that this requirement had become source of corruption for excise officers posted at National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) branch at Custom House, Karachi.

The provincial government has been informed that the bank branch collects around 70 percent of total government revenue and after the commencement of online reconciliation of collected duty and taxes with concerned departments through WeBOC.

“So there is no need to pursue all unnecessary procedures i.e. excise stamp on payment challan being continued since manual regime,” it added.

The APCCA informed that it is observed that customs excise officials posted at NBP branch were asking speed money to affix excise department stamp on the payment challan for clearance of consignments.