Customs Collectorate surpasses target

LAHORE:The Model Customs Collectorate of Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore has surpassed the customs revenue target of July 2020 to February 2021 by a wide margin amid sluggish business activities owing to the coronavirus.

Azmat Tahira, the Collector of the Model Customs Collectorate of Allama Iqbal International Airport, said that the Collectorate collected Rs 22512 million while the target was Rs 15709 million from July 2020 to February 2021. She said that this was 43 percent surplus as compared to the assigned revenue target.

Tahira further added that revenue target of month of February 2021 was Rs 1905 million and we collected Rs 2768.18 million which was 45.31 percent surplus as compared to the assigned target.

She explained that the collectorate has made 1043 seizure cases having value of Rs 179.36 million on the account of violation of Baggage Rules, Import/Export Policy Order and mis-decleratrion of quantity, description, value including counterfeit products at different stations of collectorate including Airport Traffic, GPO, ICG and Export.

Azmat Tahira lauded the efforts of officers and officials of the collectorate who worked as frontline workers during the coronavirus epidemic and ensured speedy clearance of the import cargo.

Talking to this scribe, Usman Tariq, Deputy Collector (DC) collectorate, said that 565 mobile phones worth Rs 68.60 million, 2699 bottles of liquor worth Rs 23.10 million and 108kg of silver worth Rs 15.42 million were also seized in a time span from July 2020 to Feb 2021. He said that banned medicines, Ketamine cigarettes, Cannabis seeds and other prohibited items were also captured.

The Collector said that the revenue target was achieved due to excellent administrative measures such as post release audit, correct valuation, finalisation of provisional assessment and automation in assessment of mobile phones taken by our department despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a lockdown and suspension of flight operations.