KARACHI: Customs agents have rejected the rolling out of Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) auto-clearance system at the Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) as the system, according to them, still has some deficiencies.

In a statement issued here on Friday, President, Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), Saif Ullah Khan, said that the Federal Board of Revenue has launched WeBOC at the PICT without taking the trade andservice providers into confidence.

He regretted that when WeBOC was first rolled out at Port Qasim, the FBR had assured that it would not be launched elsewhere until the system achieves the required standard of automation and all administrative issues are also resolved.

However, the FBR has taken an abrupt decision of rolling out WeBOC at the PICT from Dec 16 at 11.59pm which has disappointed trade and service providers.

The KCAA chief said that how can the FBR launch an auto-clearance system when traders and service providers (customs agents) are yet to be given user IDs and password of the system.

He apprehended that it would cause long delays in the clearance of cargo which would result in heavy demurrage and container rent to be borne by the trade and industry, thereby pushing up the cost of production.

Saif Ullah Khan said that the WeBOC at the Port Qasim was only working as a data entry system and could not be called an auto-clearance system and feared that it would adversely affect country’s exports.

He further stated that many decisions taken by FBR chairman and member customs for improvement of WeBOC are yet to be implemented for reasons best known to the FBR high-ups.

The KCAA, he said, was not against automation of cargo clearance system, but any software being rolled out should meet the requirement of trade and industry and also have the capacity and facilities to take the work-load for rapid clearance of external trade.