Only those overseas Pakistanis are entitled to import vehicles under Personal Baggage, Transfer of Residence, or Gift schemes who have not imported, gifted, or received a vehicle during the last two years in terms of Import Policy Order, 2022.

In this regard, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has submitted a report to the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) on the issue of delay in clearance of vehicles by overseas Pakistanis and misuse of immigration data.

It was alleged that the passport data is accessible after GD filing which is openly sold in the market by a few people in car groups and the original importer suffers badly, a common criminal practice is being done and the passport is first checked before GD filing, and duplicate PRCs are issued from banks. This precious data of Overseas Pakistanis must be made secure by the Directorate of Reforms and Automation.

The FTO has directed the Director, Directorate of Reforms and Automation, Karachi to develop and deploy e-CRF sent by the Collectorate of Customs, A
ppraisement (West), Karachi enabling the assessing officer to ensure that no GD is filed on a new passport by the same importer, who has imported a vehicle on his old passport under Baggage, Transfer of Residence, and Gift Scheme within the last two years.

The complaint mentioned above was filed against the Chief Collector, Appraisement (South), Karachi, and Director, Directorate of Customs, Reforms and Automation, Karachi under Section 10(1) of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000 (FTO Ordinance), regarding a delay in clearance of vehicles by overseas Pakistanis and misuse of immigration data.

During the course of the hearing, the departmental representative from the Collectorate stated that overseas Pakistanis are entitled to import vehicles under the Personnel Baggage Scheme, Transfer of Residence and Gift Scheme who have not imported, gifted, or received a vehicle during last two years in terms of proviso to Para(2) of Appendix-E of Import Policy Order, 2022.

It was further stated that the WeBOC s
ystem does not allow the filing of GDs if another GD is being filed on the same passport number within two years. However, there is no check if a GD is filed on the new passport.

The Collectorate of Customs, Appraisement (West) has already forwarded e-CRF to the Directorate of Reforms and Automation, Karachi to incorporate additional checks in the WeBOC system with regard to new passports. This additionality in the system will enable the assessing officer to ensure that the import of vehicles is in compliance with the provisions of the IPO, the FTO order added.

Source: Pro Pakistani