GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
MODEL CUSTOMS COLLECTORATE OF APPRAISEMENT – WEST CUSTOM HOUSE KARACHI
C. No. CE/R/MCC/465/Lab/ Dated: 02-01-2019
PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 01/2019
In order to improve and expedite finalization of test reports of imported/ exported cargo for clearance purpose, Custom House Laboratory (CHL) has been up-graded with new equipment and a number of tests which were previously being referred to other labs, will now be conducted at CHL. The equipment will not only reduce testing time from other labs by 20 days but will also ensure more accuracy in samples being tested / re-tested, locally. Accordingly, all the previous Notifications in this regard, including Public Notice No. 11/1999 dated 07-08-99 and Circular No. CE/R/128/98/II dated 02.04.12, are hereby superseded by this Public Notice, as follows:--
In order to facilitate trade, a Lab Fee Desk (LFD) shall be set up at NBP, Custom House Branch, Karachi which shall issue four (04) copies of Payment Challans to the traders for Special or Standard test fee, as the case may be. After payment of respective test fee, the trader shall retain one (01) copy and deposit two (02) copies of duly bank-stamped paid Challans at LFD for subsequent submission to the Challan receiving dest at CHL. Total amount paid as test fee at the LFD and a certificate to this effect, along with statement of collection, shall be submitted by the lab staff to the lab incharge and DC (Lab), of MCC Appraisement (West), Karachi.
The importers/clearing agent shall pay a standard test fee of Rs. 2000/- per sample, for testing through normal instruments /manually, as per past practice. The report shall, however, be provided within 48 hours of the receipt of the sample in the lab. In case of any delay beyond the specified time, lab incharge will be responsible to justify the delay with the reasons thereof in writing in such delayed reports to be fed in WEBOC system.
A Special fee of Rs. 10,000/- per sample shall be charged for all items falling under HS Codes Specified at Annex-A to this Notice as opted by the clearing agent / importer. The report shall, however, be provided within 24 hours of the receipt of the sample in lab. In case of any delay beyond the specified time, lab incharge shall be responsible to justify the delay with reasons thereof in writing, to be fed in WEBOC system.
The re-testing of samples, if deemed by the trader, shall be allowed by the AC/DC of respective group, on its merit, on payment of re-test fee of Rs. 2000/- or Rs. 10, 000/ as the case may be.
The re-testing shall be done by the Assistant Chemical Examiner under the supervision of Incharge Customs Laboratory.
If the original findings of the Chemis/ Deputy Assistant Chemical Examiner (DACE) are found to be incorrect on re-testing without any justification, he shall be immediately placed “off-duty” and disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated against him under E&D Rules, 1973, without prejudice to any other action as deemed necessary.
Under exceptional circumstances, where original or re-test is to be conducted through any outside lab, same shall be allowed by an officer not below the rank of Additional Collector (Lab), specifying the reasons in writing. A record of all such special permissions shall be maintained in a master file by DC (Lab) for future references.
The amount collected as testing fee shall be used for the purchase of lab chemicals and equipment and for regular maintenance of equipment. The proceedings from this fee can also be used for hiring of lab staff on contract, on need basis. A purchase committee is constituted as below to sanction expenditures from this amount:
Additional Collector (Laboratory), as Chairman of Committee,
Assistant/Deputy Collector (HQ/Lab), as Member/secretary
Incharge of Custom House Lab, as Member
Nominee of the Karachi Customs Agent Association, as Member
Nominee of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as Member
A monitoring committee comprising of AC/DC (Lab) and one nominee each from Karachi Customs Agents Association and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shall be responsible to monitor lab performance. A monthly report shall be finished to Additional Collector (Lab).
In order to avoid unnecessary lab testing of chemicals, reports of CHL/any other lab designated by the custom authorities, shall generally be valid for a period of twelve (12) months provided the description of goods, exporter, importer and country of origin are the same. In this regard following procedure shall be followed:
The trader shall upload previous test report along with literature of chemical with goods declaration in the WeBOC system along with other documents.
In column of “description”, the declarant shall mention serial No and date of previous lab test report for reference purpose, along with previous GD No. & date.
In case of any discrepancies in the declaration, previous test report or for any other reason, a chemical whose test report is conducted within 12 months, can also be referred to the lab for testing after approval of an officer, not below the rank of Additional Collector (Examination).
2. This Public Notice shall take effect from 25th January, 2019.
Signed by
(Ashhad Jawwad)
Collector