ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: The government has introduced a single automated clearance procedure (ACP) at Port Qasim, Karachi that would reduce the contact between the taxpayers and the tax officials.

Officials in the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) told Dawn on Friday that the ACP will come into effect from September 10, 2004.

Federal/provincial governments, public sector organizations, state owned corporations, defence imports; multi- national companies whose annual imports value was Rs50 million or more in the last 12 months from the date of application; importers who were availing facility of ELF in the Customs House, Karachi and other importers on application to collector on case to case basis could avail the ACP facility. The government also notified a list of items on which ACP could not be availed.

Applications for availing ACP are to be made on the form ACP-1 and sent to assistant collector of customs (import section). Importers already availing ELF at Port Qasim need not reapply for availing this service but would be required to submit form ACP-1 to update importer profile in customs record.

Each applicant will pay Rs5000 annual processing fee, which would also cover the cost of quarterly reports to be sent by registered post/mail. After necessary scrutiny of documents, the additional collector would grant membership to those applicants who meet the required standard and criteria.

Officials said the system aimed to process customs declarations made at the time of import by notified eligible importers on the goods declaration (GD) form, using Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) computer. However, about 10 per cent of such declarations would be checked in detail randomly in order to ensure their authenticity.

In case any discrepancies prejudicial to government revenue or import policy were found in random checking or during post clearance audit, etc., severe penal action would be initiated against the importer as well as the customs house agent in accordance with the relevant laws and procedures.

The PRAL computer system would generate a quarterly report listing imports made in the past three months, starting from the date of approval of the ACP facility, which will be sent by mail to the importer at his address, for verification of the imports made by him, if no reply was received within 14 days, it would be assumed that the importer acknowledges the imports.

The list would help the importer maintain his record as required under the customs, sales tax and central excise acts.