ISLAMABAD, March 24: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has waived the 2 per cent surcharge on delay in clearance of imported goods if these are cleared by March 31, 2003.

The CBR, according to its spokesman, had allowed this concession in order to facilitate the importers in particular and businessmen in general in response to representations received from various trade bodies and importers.

While requesting the exemption from penal surcharge on delayed clearance of goods imported and placed in the Custom’s Bonded Warehouses, these representations had contended that due to some business exigencies, importers could not clear their goods on time and now they were confronted with the problem of paying extra penal surcharge at the rate of 2 per cent per month for the period of delayed clearance.

After giving a sympathetic consideration to the matter, the CBR issued a notification on March 22 giving effect to the said concession, the statement said and advised the businessmen/ importers to, in their own interest, fully avail of themselves this opportunity and clear their dues by the prescribed date.