The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is likely to set up a new Model Customs Collectorate at Northern Area. Sources told Business Recorder Saturday that the decision has been taken during the last Chief Collectors/Directorate General of Customs Conference held at the FBR. According to the FBR, the customs department will discuss the idea of establishing new Collectorate at Northern Area with the chairman FBR. The FBR has also decided that all out efforts must be made to achieve the revenue targets for fiscal year 2017-18.

The FBR has directed that the transparency, integrity and facilitation of trade shall be ensured for better revenue collection and trade competitiveness by collectors of customs. The FBR has also decided that the audit paras/observations will be proactively handled which will minimize the later stage efforts by the FBR/field formation and will also result in enhanced revenue generation on case to case basis. The chief collectors will personally supervise these efforts.

The FBR has also directed collectors of Customs that necessary actions shall be taken to curb under invoicing and under valuation of goods. The FBR has also directed collectors of Customs that the issue of adjustment of Rs 4 billion of Safe City Project needs to be resolved with AGPR. The chief collector (North) will pursue the matter at FBR level.

The FBR has also decided that the proposals of transfer of staff to meet the requirements of directorate generals be furnished in consultation with the chief collectors to the FBR. The issue of overlapping of functions of Post Clearance Audit (PCA) and Internal Audit shall be examined and necessary changes in the relevant laws/rules may be effected after consultation with both the director generals.

The FBR has also decided that the risk-management system (RMS) for transit consignments shall be developed which will also cover transshipment consignments. One office of input output coefficient organization (IOCO) shall be established in Islamabad to facilitate the upcountry trade and industry, the FBR said. For establishment of disaster recovery site and other hardware requirements, a separate presentation shall be given to the chairman FBR, sources said.

Cases detected by internal audit will actively be pursued and field formations will provide assistance in this regard, the FBR added. The FBR has also decided that all cases pending in courts of law will actively be pursued for early decisions in favour of department. Field formations will keep close liaison with legal wing of the FBR for positive outcome. The collectors will enter all pending cases in newly developed tracking and monitoring system in line with the policy of FBR. The action is required by the FBR member legal, all chief collectors/concerned director generals & all collectors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017