The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has expanded the scope of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement to facilitate the imports and exports of transit goods through the customs ports and terminals of Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and Gwadar Port.
The FBR has introduced certain amendments in the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Rules 2021 under SRO. 421(I) 2023 issued on Tuesday.
As per amended rules, “cross stuffing” means the transfer of goods from one container to another container or any other mode of transportation as per TIR specifications, in the approved places within premises of customs ports and terminals or off-dock terminals.
The new procedure would be applicable to the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement, for processing of transit trade cargo under the Customs computerized system (CCS), to and from Uzbekistan; Uzbekistan’s cargo imported through Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and Gwadar Port; and Uzbekistan’s cargo to other countries via Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and Gwadar Port.
Under the procedure, the Directorate of Transit Trade, Peshawar, and Quetta shall be authorized to issue and regulate permits at their respective land border customs stations.
The Board may through a general order levy charges, generally applicable for all traffic, including fees for weighment, scanning, and sealing by customs officials or those commensurate with the administrative expenses for the costs of services rendered.
The vehicles shall be prohibited from carrying goods loaded in the territory of Pakistan for delivery at any other point (cabotage) and goods from or to another country (third country) than the operator’s home country and to be delivered or picked up to or from the territory of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan’s registered vehicles holding valid permits and are being utilized for the transport of transit and bilateral trade cargo shall enter Pakistan without the requirement of submission of any financial security for the duty and taxes leviable on the vehicle, on the basis of reciprocity, as agreed by the two contracting parties, the FBR said.
The Logistics Facilitation Centre shall record particulars of both driver and vehicle in the CCS and these details should be linked with the FIA’s immigration module so that the driver can only exit Pakistan, if his vehicle, on the return journey, has entered the border Customs station and gate-in event has been recorded in the CCS and vehicle has completed all customs formalities for exiting Pakistan, the rules added.
