It is reliably learnt that the approval has been given by the FBR to the said company for a period of three years under Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules 2012. On the recommendation of the relevant committee, the FBR has agreed to grant such approval.
Under Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules 2012, FBR has issued a procedure to track and monitor different types of cargoes covering transit cargo, export of petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) products to Afghanistan and transhipment cargo by a company providing GSM or GPRS or Satellite Communication for monitoring and tracking, on a real time basis, of containers and vehicles carrying cargoes throughout the journey.
According to the Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules 2012, the FBR spelled out a detailed procedure for the grant of a licence to the company to be engaged in tracking and monitoring of various types of cargo throughout the journey from the port of entry to the port of exit or from one warehouse to another, on a real time basis.
The licensee shall be required to provide the services including monitoring and tracking of vehicles and containers carrying the cargo mentioned in these rules from Customs port of entry to Customs port of exit on a real time basis; maintaining en-route integrity of cargo by preventing pilferage or theft or losses; access to relevant information through Web-Portal to all stakeholders as allowed under these rules or by the customs; flexible solution to cater for any future requirements of tracking under multi-modal and inter-modal transportation environment, eg with other stakeholders like Pakistan Railways etc.; monitoring timely deliveries and reporting on transport efficiencies; managing the system under proper maintenance to ensure smooth operation of the system, compatible with customs procedures and operations so as to ensure running of the system by customs also; vehicle immobilization and securing as and when required, and mandatory in case of geo-fencing violation, pilferage attempts, unauthorised or unusual stoppage and reporting application capable of generating different reports, rules said.
Under SRO 582(I)/2017 issued by the FBR, the licensee shall provide the necessary infrastructure for establishing Mobile Enforcement Units (MEUs) including vehicles (4X4), adequate means of communications (with the CCR and RCR) and routine maintenance activity (POL, repairs etc.). The project director shall convey to the licensee, the requirements of the Collectorates, in which the MEUs will be located on shift rotation basis (twenty-four hours and seven days a week), besides determining the total infrastructure required in terms of vehicles, and related resources. The MEUs will be manned with adequate customs staff and in such manner as may be decided by the concerned Collector of Customs in consultation with the Project Director. The licensee shall ensure availability of the vehicles on 24 x 7 basis as well as any supporting human resource.
The MEUs shall be responsible for reacting in case any alert is communicated to them by CCR or RCR and shall co-ordinate with enforcement units of the licensee.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017