September 20, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 07, 1428

PESHAWAR, Sept 19: The Frontier Customs Agents Group has out rightly rejected the amended customs licensing rules notified by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and has demanded its immediate withdrawal.

The demand was made in a meeting of the group chaired by Kaleem Shirazi on Wednesday. A large number of local custom clearing agents attended the meeting.

The group expressed deep concern over the promulgation of new rules, adding it will render more than 6,000 custom agents and 100,000 allied staff jobless.

The group demanded that custom clearing agents should be exempted from the rule that they convert their firms into corporate companies and get these registered with SECP. Also have their annual accounts audited by chartered accountants.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi briefed the gathering about the outcome of the meeting with Member Customs, Shahid Rahim Sheikh on Tuesday last.

He informed the members that the association had conveyed its reservations over the new rules and soon a further round of talks will be held on the issue.