LAHORE: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is looking to make the issuance of the licenses for Customs agents stringent in its pursuit to increase standardization and confidence in the customs procedures of Pakistan.
This was brought about by a notification titled SRO 1618 (I)/2024, updating the Customs Rules of 2001.
Background of the New Rules
Soon, a new standard of rules will be implemented which demands a harder qualification for people who hope to become customs agents. First off, they have to undergo a qualification test that takes place under a point system that is designed to keep every client standard as good quality all over the nation.
Eligibility and Qualification Test
From November 1 of each year, the FBR will, through advertisements in the major newspapers, invite applications for licenses to become a customs agent. A set of conditions enforced by the FBR needs to be fulfilled by each candidate. Among these conditions, a qualification test conducted under the rules will evaluate applicants on their knowledge of customs laws and procedures, computer skills, and understanding of the Customs Computerized System.
The test shall be conducted by a well-known institution under the name of ads from FBR. The pass percentage is 50%. Provisional license holders will have to clear this test too; failing to appear in it or getting aggregated bad results will cancel the provisional license.
Points System and Penalties
As regards observance, a new point system will be introduced. Every licensed customs agent starts with 10 points. Points can be subtracted in the case of mistakes, for example, false declarations or false statements. When an agent’s points reach zero, the license is blocked, and cancellation will be attempted.
License Blocking and Cancellation
A license may be blocked or canceled if
- The agent’s points have reached zero.
- Do not submit any declarations of goods within a year.
- Do not submit any declarations of goods for the whole financial year.
The above rules reflect the FBR’s commitment to ensure that only suitably qualified and compliant customs agents are licensed. The FBR is looking to raise qualification standards and introduce checks to make Pakistan’s customs process more efficient and transparent.
