ISLAMABAD, March 26: Central Board of Revenue Chairman M. Abdullah Yousuf has directed the customs collectors to immediately withdraw all departmental appeals filed against the decision of first adjudication level. The chairman was addressing the collectors of customs adjudication, preventive and appeals at a workshop organized by the Directorate General of Customs Training here on Saturday. Currently, 1,500 adjudication and 600 appeals cases were pending at different levels involving an amount of Rs4 billion. Mr Yousuf said the task forces constituted at the collectorate level for reviewing the appeals pending before the tribunals and superior courts, should expedite their reports and consequential withdrawal should be made.

The chairman asked the adjudication collectors to view the cases fairly, justly and take judicious and independent decision even if it went against the department.

“In this way you can dispel the impression about the department of being biased”, he added.

Talking about the simplification of law and procedures, the chairman asked the collectors to indicate major areas of trouble along with suitable recommendations so as necessary amendments were made to simplify the rules.

He also asked them to finalize their proposals for future structure of the customs department, areas of weaknesses and what CBR needed to make changes in the existing system.