960402

F'abad Customs given

10 days to settle

drawback claims

FAISALABAD: Syed Mumtaz Haider Rizvi, Collector Customs, Faisalabad has issued clear cut directions to the Customs staff to decided all the cases of duty drawback positively within a period of 10 days.

Inaugurating the "Executive Block" at Faisalabad Dry Port here on Tuesday, he said the Deputy Collector Shafqat Mehmood was already paying special attention for the settlement of the duty drawback claims.

"However, I will also spent three days at my port office to decide the cases of complicated nature", he said an added that he would also remain available in his office on every Tuesday while Deputy Collector will meet importers and exporters on every Sunday to hear their problems and decide them upto their entire satisfaction.

Mian Muhammad Latif, Chairman Faisalabad Dry Port said that duty drawback claims of millions of rupees are pending with the Customs Collectorate. This inordinate delay in the payment of duty drawback claims was not only creating problem for the exporters but also hampering the exports.

The Chairman also demanded establishment of DC treasury at this port.

Collector Customs announced that an effective procedure will be adopted for the early settlement of the duty drawback claims. The claims filed during one month will be settled and rebate cheque will be issued positively during the next month, he assured.

He said that a regional Customs advisory council for Faisalabad region will be announced very soon. Chamber, dry port, All Pakistan Cloth Exporters Association, Hosiery Manufacturers Association and other concerned trade bodies would be given due representation in this council for the efficient settlement of the disputed cases of customs duty and sales tax.

Representatives of State Bank of Pakistan, other commercial banks, Commissioner Income Tax and President Customs Agents Association will also be given due representation in this advisory council, he added.

The trustees of the dry port trust, Customs officers, General Manager Faisalabad Dry Port, Colonel (R) Muhammad Iqbal Zafar, General Manager Accounts Nazir Ahmad Chishti, Manager Operation and Administration, Chaudhry Mohammad Afzal, Chaudhry Mohammad Boota and President Customs Agents Association also attended the function.-APP