Facility to non-duty paid trucks and buses withdrawn
RECORDER REPORT
ISLAMABAD (March 18 2007): The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has withdrawn the facility to legalise non-duty paid trucks and buses on payment of 30 percent redemption fine along with the leviable duties and taxes. It is learnt that the CBR has issued this important notification on Saturday, but the same was not placed on CBR website, for unknown reasons.
The Board has amended SRO.547(I)/2005 to take away the amnesty scheme available for the importers of non-duty paid smuggled trucks and buses. Under the SRO.547(I)/2005, 30 percent fine is admissible on the "smuggled vehicles with non tampered chassis frame and vehicles imported in violation of the relevant Import Trade and Procedure Order and vehicles imported in violation of the Import of Vehicles Rules under the Personal Baggage, Transfer of Residence and Gift Scheme as specified in the relevant Import Policy Order".
It was brought to the notice of Board that thousands of non-duty paid old trucks were regularised at different collectorates of customs after payment of redemption fine along with the leviable duties and taxes. Ordinary old trucks, having small chassis frame (1991-1998), were legalised under the relevant notification. It is important to note that these are not dump trucks or dumpers, but ordinary trucks. The violators used provisions of SRO.547(I)/2005 to legalise tucks on payment of 30 percent redemption fine.
Sources said that the legalisation of large number of non-duty paid trucks had affected the local industry. Now, the Board has withdrawn the facility to regularise trucks and buses under the said scheme.
Sources said that import of old trucks is not permissible under the Import Policy Order. However, a number of old trucks were seized by regional customs authorities following violation of Import Policy Order. The customs has to follow strict procedure to deal with the trucks, which were imported in violation of SRO.574(I)/2005.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2007