He said the customs agents were being nominated in FIRs without show-cause notices, raising disenchantment among them against the customs department. He said that five different systems/procedures were presently working for clearances of import and export cargos under chief collector (South) with no co-ordination. "Therefore, no evidences are accepted by any counterpart, causing to initiate legal proceedings against the customs agents," he added.
He said although the members of the association contribute their due shares in the economy by paying direct and indirect taxes and provide direct employment to over 40,000 peoples, they are being forced to run from pillar to post to get their consignments cleared as the WeBOC software was running against the spirit of automation. "Keeping this in view, the association in its letter demanded the authority to roll back WeBOC software in both import and export," he maintained.
He said that the members of KCAA were the pillars of the fortitude of the economy as these customs agents play an eminent role in trade and business in Pakistan. But the appraising officer and principal appraisers are conducting unnecessary assessments with the best reasons known to them, he added. Moreover, he said the preventive collectorate at AFU is imposing IATA freight in assessment that led the drastic increase in the cost of material imported at AFU (Karachi). When contacted, chief collector (South) was not available for comments.