KARACHI: A large number of containers are stuck up at port for want of clearance because duty structure in the auto-clearance system of customs is disturbed by faulty downloading system.

Faisal Mushtaq, general secretary of the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), in a statement issued on Tuesday said that each time when new SRO was issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the entire duty structure in auto-clearance system of customs was disturbed.

He said the FBR recently issued SRO 1012(1)/2011 and after it was downloaded in the auto-clearance system, it also changed the parameters of other SROs already fed in the system, he added.

Consequently, the customs authorities could not clear boxes which fall under such SROs, causing huge losses to trade and industry in the form of demurrage, container rent and above all production loss.

Mr Mushtaq also said that SRO 1012(I)/2011 issued on Nov 4, 2011, was in respect of sales tax and it superseded SRO283(I)/2011 but in the absence of proper expertise with the customs for feeding the SRO in the system the entire duty structure of auto-clearance system was disturbed. He said presently SROs 549(I),2009, SRO727(I)/2011 and Sixth Schedule etc., had nothing to do with SRO1012(I), 2011.