The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will maintain a record of all tourists coming into Pakistan, who are temporarily importing vehicles into the country without payment of duties and taxes.
Under the amended customs rules issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday, the record will be provided by the Customs officials to the FIA.
With the help of the FIA, the person temporarily importing a vehicle will not be allowed to leave Pakistan unless he has exported the vehicle, or an import permit has been obtained and the Customs duties and other taxes in respect of that vehicle have been paid.
The temporary import of vehicles by the tourists includes cars, motorcycles, vans, microbuses and busses, pick-ups, jeeps, trucks, self-driven caravans, and tractors with trailer or semi-trailer or caravans.
The tourist who imports a vehicle against carnet-de-passage or a bank guarantee may be given delivery thereof by the officer-in-charge of the Customs station of entry without payment of Customs duties for its retention in Pakistan for a period of three months if such tourist makes a declaration at the Customs station of entry to the effect that he will not constructively or substantially transfer the ownership of the vehicles to any other person during his stay in Pakistan.
Under the draft rules, the number and other particulars of the passport of an importer and of the vehicle imported by him will be recorded at the Customs station of entry using the Customs computerized system and the officer in charge thereof will communicate them to the FIA.
