ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: The Customs Administrative Reforms (CARE) project will be launched on March 23 to restructure the existing customs system plagued with major problems like under-valuation, mis declaration and under-invoicing /fake invoicing.

This was stated by Central Board of Revenue Chairman M. Abdullah Yousuf while presiding over a conference of customs collectors held here on Thursday. Mr Yousuf said that under-valuation and mis declaration were causing huge losses to the national exchequer and therefore it was necessary to check it effectively and without any further loss of time.

He said that CARE and tax administration reforms were primarily aimed at making taxation system and procedures easy, simple, automated and transparent. Customs and tax reforms would not only facilitate taxpayers but also reduce cost of doing business and generate more revenue.

CARE would also specifically help the business community compete effectively with other countries of the world under the new system of WTO and global competitiveness, the chairman added.

The conference was informed that all civil work, including installation of equipments, hardware, etc., on the CARE project would be completed by February 28, 2005. The CBR chairman advised the collector concerned to ensure foolproof security arrangements for the project.

It was told that total trade traffic facilitated by the customs department went up by Rs12.48 billion in 2003-04 to Rs15.40 billion in 2004-05, which included exports worth Rs6.5 billion and imports Rs8.9 billion during the last six months.

Major smuggling goods seized by the customs department from July-December 2004 were vehicles (Rs489m), foreign cloth (Rs103m), betel nuts (Rs11m), cigarettes (Rs3m), liquor (Rs16m), POL (Rs16m) (tyres and tubes (Rs1 million), and foreign currency ($3.8m).

Earlier, the director general of the customs valuation appraised the conference of the progress made so far by his directorate since its establishment in November last year.

He pointed out certain problems and bottlenecks that hindered effective implementation of the system. He, however, said that the directorate had already initiated an awareness campaign through meetings with the chambers and valuation committees.