By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: The Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) has called on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to reconsider its decision to centralize Goods Declarations (GDs) through Karachi, citing serious disruptions and financial losses for businesses operating through upcountry dry ports and the Torkham border.
In a recent statement, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, Senior Vice President of PAJCCI and President of the Frontier Custom Clearing Agents Association (FCCA), stated that the new system is creating significant hurdles for traders, particularly those utilizing dry ports in regions such as Peshawar.
“Under the current arrangement, all GDs are directed to the Central Assessment Unit (CAU) in Karachi, even when filed at local dry ports,” Sarhadi said. “This centralization has led to processing delays as local clearing agents cannot communicate directly with Karachi-based assessing officers when queries or objections arise.”
He highlighted that the lack of direct communication has not only slowed down customs clearance but has also led to increased costs in the form of demurrage, detention, and storage charges.
Citing a recent report by the Directorate General of Customs Risk Management, Sarhadi pointed out that the average dwell time for GDs not requiring physical examination has risen by 57%, from 25 hours per declaration in July 2024 to 46 hours by April 2025.
“These inefficiencies are placing an undue burden on regional businesses and are undermining the very purpose of establishing dry ports—to facilitate trade in remote and underdeveloped areas,” he remarked.
PAJCCI has urged the FBR to decentralize the Faceless Assessment System by creating regional assessment units at major dry ports such as Peshawar, Quetta, and Multan. These units, Sarhadi stressed, should be fully authorized to process GDs digitally while adhering to the same transparency and regulatory standards as the central system.
He also called for improvements to the WeBOC (Web-Based One Customs) platform, proposing real-time options for clearing agents to respond to objections, submit clarifications, and upload required documents, with a fixed response time from customs officials.
“These steps will not only reduce delays but will also support the government’s broader agenda of improving the ease of doing business and promoting inclusive economic growth across all provinces,” Sarhadi concluded.
