KARACHI, July 5: The Karachi Customs collected Rs144.700 billion revenues during the outgoing fiscal year 2005-06 as against Rs124.125 billion last year, showing an increase of 16.5 per cent, officials said here on Tuesday.

The increased economic activity resulting in a record rise in imports during the fiscal year 2005-06 helped the Karachi Customs record an all-around surge in revenue collection at the customs stage, including income tax, sales tax and federal excise duty.

During the period under review, the Karachi Appraisement collected Rs70.217 billion as customs duty against Rs57.582 billion collected last year, showing a rise of 23.67 per cent.

Despite the fact that duty slabs generally stood static, with maximum at 25 per cent and minimum at five per cent and a few others at higher level, the revenue collection primarily rose owing to higher imports and efficient working of the customs authorities who are now mostly functioning on automation by using computers in most of their departments.

The brisk industrial activity resulting in higher imports of raw materials and some capital goods is reported to be major factor for an increase in revenue collection at the customs stage.

The collection of sales tax surged by 12.54 per cent to Rs58.990 billion as compared to Rs52.413 billion last fiscal (2004-05). The income tax collection rose by 9.14 per cent to Rs14.770 billion. Similarly, the collection of federal excise duty increased by 20.47 per cent to Rs722 million from Rs599 million last fiscal year.

The officials said the Appraisement Collectorate, Karachi Customs, recorded a fabulous growth in revenue collection in the last month (June) of the outgoing fiscal 2005-06 by collecting Rs18.108 billion as against Rs13.307 billion in the corresponding period last year, showing a growth of 36.03 per cent.

The revenue collection on account of customs duty in June 2006 stood the highest at Rs10.454 billion or 41.11 per cent higher than Rs7.408 billion collected in the corresponding period last year. The sales tax collection ranked second on recording 37.85 per cent surge to Rs6.221 billion as compared to Rs4.512 billion in the same period last year.

However, the revenue collection under the head of income tax recorded a nominal growth of 2.67 per cent at Rs1.376 billion as compared to Rs1.340 billion last fiscal year (2004-05).

The federal excise duty collection rose by 23.03 per cent to Rs55.93 million in June this year from Rs45.48 million in the same month last year.

The customs authorities put their entire energy on the last day i.e. June 30 of the outgoing fiscal year in order to achieve higher revenue collection. The Appraisement Collectorate collected Rs2.867 billion on June 30, recording a growth of 79.79 per cent as against the corresponding period last year when collection stood at Rs1.595 billion.

Taking note of the Karachi Customs performance and achievement of record growth in revenue collection, the Central Board of Revenue gave awards to the officers and some staff members.

The CBR rewarded additional collectors Wasif Memon and Faiz Ahmed Rs50,000 each. Besides, assistant collector Yaseen Murtza and principal appraiser Shaheen Farooq have been rewarded Rs25,000 each. Collector Appraisement Musarat Jabeen has also recommended more names for special rewards.