GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN

COLLECTORATE OF APPRAISEMENT

CUSTOM HOUSE, KARACHI 

No. SI/MISC/02/2000-TG                                                           Dated 30-09-2000

PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 16/2000 

In order to streamline the work relating to import under Afghan Transit Trade Agreement 1965, the following procedure is notified for the guidance of all concerned.

1. MANIFESTATION OF BILL OF ENTRY, NOTIFIED.

            All the bills of entry for transit shall be presented at Customer Service Center (CSC), Custom House Karachi from 1.10.2000 and shall comply with the following:-

i)     Clearing agent/importer will purchase a service coupon from the sales counter of CSC attaching the CSC copy of the coupon on the top left corner of the bill of entry.

ii)   The transit bills of entry alongwith the following documents in the sequence given below, will be presented at the receipt counter of CSC.

a.    Service coupon (at top left corner of the B/E).

b.    Copy of the invoice.

c.    Bill of lading.

d.    Packing list.

e.    Copy of Jawaznama (importer permit).

f.     8 copies of ATTI (Afghan Transit Trade Invoice).

iii)  The receiving clerk will verify/scrutinize the documents, feed the particulars of the service coupon to the computer system and issue a token, bearing machine number and date of bill of entry and name of the person submitting the bill of entry.

i)      Data of entry, operator will feed all the particulars of bill of entry and ATTI and affix the machine number on the bill of entry as well as on the ATTI.

ii)     Data verifier will verify the contents of computer generated printout with the transit bill of entry and make correction, if so required. In case of any discrepancy the transit bill of entry will be sent to the Reception Counter for rectification of errors in consultation with the clearing agent and officer of the transit section.

iii)    CSC section will generate a statement (as per proforma-A) of transit bill of entry manifested during that day and sent the same to Afghan Transit Group.

iv)   After receiving their documents from CSC, the clearing agent or importer shall go directly to the Appraising Officer (Processing) of Transit Group. Hence, the registration of transit bill of entry in the import section or at-the transit group counter will not be required.

v)     The Appraising Officer (processing) will himself receive the documents    in Transit Group and affix stamp as well as put up his initial on original copy of bill of entry in token receipt. He will also  endorse/post the receipt in the computer terminal available with him.

2. PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS.

Appraising Officer (Processing) shall scrutinize the bill of entry in the light of documents produced by the importer/clearing agent. The following documents will be provided to the Appraiser (Processing) Transit Group:

a.         Remaining set of the bill of entry.

b.         Original Detailed packing list/weight list.

c.         Original Invoice.

d.         Original B/L.

e.         Jawaznama.

After receiving the requisite documents the A.O. (Processing) shall scrutinized the documents and will check the importability of the goods in accordance with the order/notification issued from time to time by the Ministry of Commerce as well as CBR, and will also attest the invoice, packing list and bill of lading. He will also feed the relevant details in the on-line system. After processing, Appraising Officer Will endorse the examination order on reverse of the duplicate bill of entry and send the bill of entry to the Principal Appraiser (transit section) for counter-signature. PA will also endorse "checked and passed" and sign the bill of entry. If the description / quantity of the goods is not clear, then the bill of entry will be processed under the first examination system.

3. DETACHMENT OF DOCUMENTS.

After processing of the bill of entry, the concerned clerk of the transit section will enter the particulars of the bill of entry/ ATTI in the relevant register and affix the stamp of the free number, which will be the same as the manifestation number already allotted.by the CSC and detach the quadruplicate copy of the bill of entry.

4. EXAMINATION OF GOODS.

a)     Appraising Officer (Examination), after ensuring the quadruplicate copy of bill of entry has been detached, will conduct the examination of the goods. Appraiser (examination) shall inspect 100% of the goods and will verify the transit marks and numbers and gross quantity. He shall ensure that the goods are marked "IN TRANSIT TO AFGHANISTAN" in bold, clear and legible letters. Normally, he shall examine 20% of each class / variety of the goods to verify the declared description, quantity. However, in case of any doubt he may refer the case to the Assistant Collector for permission to examine the goods upto 100% Principal Appraiser (Transit Group) will counter-sign the bill of entry and sign out-of-Customs-charge.

b)    The Appraising Officer (Examination) shall endorse the examination on the back of the original copy of the bill of entry. The examination report shall also be endorsed to the duplicate and triplicate copies by putting carbon paper underneath the Original Copy, pointing out clearly if any discrepancy is Found or not.

c)    Any difference in marks and numbers or not clearly visible marks and numbers shall be pointed out by the examining officer. The marks and numbers may be allowed to be re-marked under Customs supervision, on request and after thorough enquiry by the Assistant Collector in-charge.

d)    Any variation / discrepancy found at the time of examination decision taken on it shall be reflected in the ATTI. Such variation shall also be fed in the on-line system.

5          LOADING

After completion of the bill of entry, the importer or his clearing agent will approach the concerned Senior Preventive Officer (SPO) for “Allow loading" of the goods in railway wagon. The SPO will enter the request in the internal delivery register maintained in the office of the SPO. The SPO will then issue a "Loading Slip" in duplicate and affix the "Allow Loading Stamp" on reverse side of the duplicate copy of bill of entry and will depute a Preventive Officer to supervise the loading. The goods will be loaded on the wagon in the presence of the Preventive Officer and the representative of the KPT, Pakistan Railway and the importer/clearing agent.

The loaded wagon will be sealed by the authorized security agency i.e. M/s. Brinks, the preventive seal and Railway seal. The A.O. (Examination), Preventive 1“ :e' and the Representative of Pakistan Railway will sign the ATTI, after indicating the Railway receipt (R/R) No., the Railway wagon No., and the seal Number thereon. The representative of the authorized security agency will issue a sealing certificate in quadruplicate also indicating the relevant particulars like bill of entry No. and date, seal No. Railway wagon No. etc. The original certificate shall be retained by the security agency, the duplicate will be given to the transit section for record, the triplicate will be meant for carrier, and the fourth copy will be dispatched to the Customs Officer at the destination for verification.

After completion of the above formalities, the Preventive staff shall return the  duplicate copy of bill of entry to the Afghan Transit Group.

6.         COMPLETION AND DESPATCH OF ATT1 AND ANNEXURE-I

The Railway wagon No, R/R No and the authorized agency's seal number will be entered on the ATTI and Annexure-I. The concerned clerk will prepare Annexure-I in triplicate on the prescribed format. It is to be signed by the P.A. (Transit Group), and dispatched to the Customs station at the Afghan border alongwith duplicate bill of entry and the copy of sealing certificate through U.M.S.

7.         RECORD KEEPING AND RECONCILIATION

The Afghan Transit section officer shall maintain all record relating to goods released for transit to Afghanistan, for which purpose a Register of Dispatches will be maintained. The office will also dispatch the copies of the bills of entry and ATTI as follows:-

The respective Customs station at the border will send the cross Border certificate confirming that the goods have crossed over to Afghanistan, within 45 days of the dispatch of the copy of the ATTI from Karachi. The Afghan Transit section office shall reconcile its record on receipt of the cross border certificate.

8.         OFFENCES AND PENALTIES.

The above procedure has been prescribed in order prevent any misuse of the Afghan Transit facility by unscrupulous importers, to ensure that only genuine transit goods are allowed to transit through the territory of Pakistan to reach Afghanistan and event goods declared for transit finding their way into the markets of Pakistan.

Any attempt at misusing the Afghan Transit facility to bring in / smuggle goods into Pakistan without payment of duty and taxes leviable thereon or in contravention of any prohibition or restriction for the time being in force, is an office under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1969 which include inter alia, section 2 (s), 15, 16, 32 and 129 and appropriate legal and penal action will be taken accordingly. The following actions are included in the offences namely:--

a)         Import against fake, forged, tampered or invalid documents                           (Jawaznama, invoice bill of lading etc.)

b.)        Non-confirmation of crossing over of the goods into Afghanistan                 within reasonable time (a maximum of 45 days) or any                                   discrepancy in quantity at the time of re-examination at the                                 border.

9.         Public Notice No. 02 /1994(Exports) dated 1.3.1994 issued in respect of goods in transit to Afghanistan by Collector of Customs (Exports) is hereby repealed.

(Signed by)

(Dr. Manzoor Ahmad)

Collector 

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