ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will now be tracking and monitoring the movement of cargo transports throughout its journey across the territory of Pakistan. Through a new SRO issued recently, the FBR has amended Customs Rules, 2001 to issue International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR (Transports International Routers or International Road Transports) cargo Carnets Rules.
The movement of TIR cargo in the country may be subject to tracking and monitoring by the FBR as per provisions of the Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules, 2012. As per the new rules, set by FBR, a prescribed time limit will be followed for movement of goods transport; the journey time of loading, excluding the customs clearance time, shall not exceed ten days.
The time limit may further be extended by an officer, not below the rank of assistant director or assistant collector of customs for a period not exceeding ten days after satisfying the officers about the genuineness of the extension and for reasons to be recorded. The TIR regime shall preclude transport of goods, which are prohibited under a statutory notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce or without fulfilment of conditions imposed in respect of items restricted for TIR under such notification.
The FBR said that the certification process for approval of vehicles and containers, to be used for international transportation, shall be carried out by the authority in case of vehicles and the body in case of containers, duly endorsed by customs by adhering to the laid down standards and specifications. The certificate of approval issued by the designated authority or body, in respect of vehicles and containers, as the case may be, shall conform to the specimen provided.
The validity and genuineness of TIR carnet shall be automatically cross-checked by customs computerised system via the Real-Time Safe-TIR portal. The Customs TIR processing officer may also crosscheck the validity and genuineness of TIR carnet through the bar code printed thereon, the FBR added.
Besides, the TIR Carnet holder shall adopt one of the designated routes notified by the authority. The TIR Carnet holder shall adopt specific routes for transportation of import, export or transit load, as specified in respective bilateral or transit transport agreements or protocols with a country.
The TIR Carnet holder shall make electronic pre-declaration (EPD) via TIR-EPD prior to arrival at the Customs office of departure, entry and exit (en route), or destination, which shall contain the name and address of consignor and consignee, container number, if applicable, description of goods, weight, quantity, eight-digit Pakistan Customs Tariff code, value of consignment, marks and numbers. A unique customs reference number shall be allotted to the TIR-EPD by the customs computerised system. The Carnet holder shall present the road vehicle, the combination of vehicles or the load together with the documents listed in rule 694 at the customs office of departure, entry (en route), exit (en route) or destination, as the case may be.
The Customs TIR processing officer shall enter information regarding sealing and weight into customs computerised system, which shall be transmitted to the IRU computerised database and ensure completion of customs processing at the office of departure, entry (en route), exit (en route) and destination, the FBR said.
On the other hand, the transporters have termed it another tool of adding woes of the transporters. They claimed that there was already strict monitoring system of cargo vehicles in the country.
