Pakistan businessmen demand withdrawal of changes in Customs Act

Pakistan businessmen on Saturday demanded immediate withdrawal of changes in the recent amendments to the Customs Act for the restoration of the powers of the Karachi customs, Director-General to determine the valuation of fresh and dry fruits imported from Afghanistan.

The local businessmen fear that move will adversely affect the Afghanistan-Pakistan trade, reported Dawn.

A large number of traders are associated with the import and export of fresh and dry fruits from Afghanistan and the valuation was done by a committee formed by the customs authorities in Peshawar and Quetta.

The valuation carried out by the Karachi customs DG was withdrawn after the inclusion of Section 25-A in the Customs Act in the last fiscal, reported Dawn.

Section 25-A was inserted into the Customs Act to facilitate trade from Afghanistan, while collectors were empowered to determine the value of imported goods from land border stations after consultation, including relevant chambers of commerce and trade bodies.

However, the section has been deleted causing severe problems for Afghan exporters and Pakistani importers, reported Dawn.

The valuation of dry and fresh fruits imported from the European Union and US was higher due to their high quality, while the fresh and dry fruits imported from Afghanistan were natural and of low grade and therefore, their value was low.

The quality of the EU-US and Afghan goods differ greatly and therefore; they have different values.

The businessmen feared that the determination of the same valuation for both fruits imported from EU-US and Afghanistan would prove disastrous for Pak-Afghan mutual and transit trade, reported Dawn.

They said the valuation increased by Pakistan for Afghan fruits increased valuation of imports from Pakistan rendering Pakistani products non-competitive in the Afghan market, which won't suit them.

( With inputs from ANI )

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