Import and Export in Pakistan     

Futuristic Real Estate Business Group, Director of Dream Marketing Network, Rajwani Associates Gwadar, Dream City Gwadar,  Futuristic Real Estate  Business Group     KARACHI -LAHORE - ISLAMABAD             email: managerpk@live.com

RAJ GWADAR, Managing Director,

 

As a real estate expert of Futuristic Real Estate Business Group, Raj Gwadar shares his insights on the developments in the real estate sector, particularly in Gwadar Karachi Lahore Islamabad, Pakistan.

 

 An Interview with
 Raj Gwadar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customs Clearance Introduction Under Import Pakistan

Shipments may be received at either the sea, airport or dry port declared by customs authorities as customs ports, customs air port and land customs station.

Procedure for customs clearance in Import Pakistan
Procedure for customs clearance comprises under import Pakistan of following three steps:

• Arrival of goods at customs port
• Filing and examination of Bills of entry, and
• Assessment of customs duty

CBR has started clearance of goods through PACCS since May 01, 2005. In this regard initially a Model Custom Collectorate has started clearance of goods under PACCS from Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and it is expected that the process shall gradually be made applicable throughout Pakistan.

Import Pakistan Customs Clearance Under PACCS

Salient features of PACCS are as follows:

No Geographical Limits
Under PACCS an importer is liberated of geography. You can file Goods Declarations from HQ in Islamabad , pay duties from a branch office at an online bank in Lahore and clear your goods for a factory in Karachi.

PACCS Philosophy Under Import Pakistan
Only stop the suspect. Customs work is phased in the following manner:

1. Pre-arrival work
2. Work while the goods are at the port
3. Work after the goods have been released

Goods are required at the port only where physical examination is needed; all other Customs work can be completed either before arrival of goods or finalized after the goods have been released.

Pre-arrival Goods Declaration Related to Import Pakistan
Advanced filing of electronic Goods declaration 10 days prior to arrival of cargo, no permissions required.

Pre-arrival Processing of Cargo Related to Import Pakistan
Cargo and vessel details are acquired electronically from the carriers at least 24 hours prior to the arrival of vessel. Risk Management System screens the cargo declaration and segregates high risk from low risk cargo. Transit and transshipment consignments are identified. Major amendments to the manifest are completed electronically by the time the vessel arrives.

Cargo declaration is electronically transmitted to the terminal operator to unload cargo according to the manifest.

Procedure after Arrival of Vessel
Non-risky cargo for which GD has been filed in advance is released. Transshipment cargo is released to bonded carriers for carriage upcountry. There is no requirement for filing of TP requests under PACCS. High risk cargo as communicated to the terminal operator is brought straight away to the examination areas and examination commences.

Goods Declaration Filing & Processing for Import Pakistan

Electronic Goods Declaration:
No documents are required.

Declarations are filed from your office over the web any where in the country. Customs Reference Number (machine number) is instantly allotted online. The Risk Management System processes your Declaration. In case the declaration is found to be non-risky your cargo is released and both you and the terminal operator are informed online by PACCS. The process takes less than ten seconds.

You are free to file Goods Declarations either yourself or through your agent, the choice is purely your own. In case the Declaration is

deemed risky by the Risk Management System it will be allotted to a Customs official for scrutiny and you will be asked online for clarifications or asked for specific documents to support your declaration.

Pakistan Customs Examination Process for Import Items in Pakistan

Pakistan Customs already has examination reports for risky consignments. Where consignments were deemed risky they were grounded by the terminal operator and examined by Customs on arrival of the vessel and report fed into PACCS.

Payment of Taxes/Duties
PACCS is self-assessment you pay your taxes yourself without interference by Customs before filing a declaration to Customs. You pay your duties anywhere in the country, all you need is to remember your BL number.

Determination of Value
PACCS proceeds by the book, the only value accepted under PACCS is transactional value ascertained as per the GATT code.

Dispute over value
There is formal mechanism for review of values ascertained by the assessing staff. This is called the First Review. In case you are not satisfied in first review there is a second review before the Assistant Collector.The Assistant Collector in second review gives formal written orders. Orders by the Assistant Collector are appealable before Collector Appeals. Orders of Collector Appeals are appealable before the Appellate tribunal.

You have the choice to clear the goods provisionally, all request for provisional clearance are auto accepted on payment of securities. We feel that your pursuit to seek justice must not be hindered by the threat of demurrages.

We have successfully dealt with import of the following items into Pakistan and the list is growing all the time:
 

• Paperboard and articles Import in Pakistan
• Paper Import in Pakistan
• Firebricks Refractory Import in Pakistan
• Refractory Ceramic Goods to Import Pakistan
• Iron and steel to Import Pakistan
• Special machinery for particular industry to Import in Pakistan
• Import Pharmaceutical Products to Pakistan
• Import Metal working machinery in Pakistan
• Import Organic Chemicals to Pakistan
• Import Lubricating Petroleum Oil to Pakistan
• Import Plant, Machinery and Equipments to Pakistan
• Import in Pakistan Manufactures of Metals
• Telecommunication Appliances and Equipments Import to Pakistan
• Vegetables and Fruits Import to Pakistan
• Import Pakistan Plastic Material
• Import Pakistan Chemical Material & Products
• Import Pakistan Power Generating Machinery, Equipments Parts
• Import Transport Equipment to Pakistan
• Import Dairy Products & Bird Eggs to Pakistan
• Import Miscellaneous Edible Products and Preparation to Pakistan
• Import Parts to Pakistan
• Import Wheat Un-Milled to Pakistan
• Import Seeds of Vegetable to Pakistan
• Import Mustard Oil to Pakistan
• Import Surgical Instruments to Pakistan
• Import Office Machinery and Auto Data Processors to Pakistan

Export Pakistan

Export Regulations of Pakistan

We have successfully dealt with export of the following items into Pakistan and the list is growing all the time:

• Export Textile Yarn & Fabrics from Pakistan
• Export Articles of Apparel and Cloth Accessories from Pakistan
• Export Footwear from Pakistan
• Export Leather and Leather Manufactures from Pakistan
• Export Guwar Meal, Guar Gum and Guwar Protein Extracts from Pakistan
• Export Surgical Instruments from Pakistan
• Export Fruit from Pakistan
• Export Arts resins and Plastic Material from Pakistan
• Export Chemical Material from Pakistan
• Export Refractory Cements from Pakistan
• Export Mortars from Pakistan
• Export Electric Machinery and Appliances from Pakistan
• Export Refractory Blocks and Tiles from Pakistan
• Export Viscose Fiber (Rayon Fiber) from Pakistan
• Export Sports Goods from Pakistan

Clearance Process for Export of Goods into Pakistan
When shipping from Pakistan clearance through Customs depends on whether you're shipping:

• Documents with no commercial value
• Dutiable goods (goods with a commercial value)

Prohibitions on Export
Certain items are forbidden and controlled for export from Pakistan by Customs. These items are in addition to items prohibited by the IATA . Senders are responsible for making sure that the destination country will accept the goods they are shipping.

Items that are Forbidden for Export from Pakistan

• Dangerous goods as defined by IATA
• Live animals
• Human body parts
• Explosives
• Money
• Liquor
• Passports
• Antiques
• Gold
• Counterfeit products
• Used goods

Pakistan Export Regulations:

Take note of the following regulations when exporting from Pakistan :

• For size and weight maximums an exporter must check with the destination country's limits
• Dimensional weight or actual weight, whichever is greater, determines the shipment tariff
• Foreign exchange rules and procedures apply to exports as determined by the State Bank of Pakistan

Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) Pakistan
The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Pakistan was established in 1980 with the mandate to plan, develop and operate Export Processing Zones in Pakistan .

The objectives of the establishment of Export Processing Zones in Pakistan are primarily to boost industrialization and augment country's export by creating facilities for investors to enable them to setup export oriented units which would, as a consequence, create job opportunities, bring in new technology and know-how, and attract foreign investment.

Incentives for Investors to Set Up a Unit in EPZS of Pakistan:

1. 100% ownership rights
2. 100% Repatriation of capital & profits
3. No minimum or maximum limit for investment
4. Duty free imports of machinery, equipment & material
5. No sales tax on input goods including electricity & gas bills
6. Obsolete/old machinery can be sold in domestic market of Pakistan after payment of applicable duties & taxes
7. No excise duty, no Custom duty on cement, steel & any other material used in construction of buildings
8. Freedom from National import restrictions
9. Foreign Exchange control regulations of Pakistan not applicable
10. Defective goods/waste can be sold in domestic market after payment of applicable duties, maximum upto 3% of total value of export
11. Duty free vehicles allowed under certain conditions. After 5 years of use, vehicles can be disposed off in domestic market on payment of duty
12. Domestic market of Pakistan available on same conditions as for imports from other countries
13. Units operating in EPZ's can undertake sub-contracting for units of tariff area subject to payment of duty and taxes on value addition only
14. Only EPZA is authorized to collect Presumptive Tax at the time of export of goods which would be final tax liability
15. EPZ units allowed to supply goods to Custom manufacturing bonds
16. Production Oriented labour laws to be solely regulated by the Authority
17. EPZ manufacturers be treated as par with bonded manufacturers in tariff area for any future incentives to be announced for exporters
18. Relief from double taxation subject to bilateral agreement

Eligibility for Investment

All investment in the Zone is made in convertible foreign currency. A foreign investor and a non-resident Pakistani can invest up to 100% of the equity. A Joint venture between a foreigner or foreign company and a non-resident or resident Pakistani is possible in any proportion. However, State Bank of Pakistan would cover not more than 40% of equity of a resident Pakistani for providing foreign exchange.

We have successfully dealt with export of the following items into Pakistan and the list is growing all the time:

Textile yarn & fabrics, Articles of apparel/cloth accessories, footwear, leather, leather manufactures, guwar meal, guar gum, guwar protein extracts, surgical instruments, fruit, Arts resins/plastic material, chemical material, refractory cements, mortars, electric machinery/appliances, refractory blocks/tiles, viscose fiber (Rayon Fiber), sports goods.

Relevant Export Related Legislation of Pakistan

         

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email: managerpk@live.com  or HOT LINE: 092-7003056 - CELL: 092-322-2623539
DREAM MARKETING NETWORK FIRM:  MARKETING OFFICE: M - 93, GLASS TOWER, MAIN CLIFTON ROAD KARACHI PH: (92-21) 4223380
FUTURISTIC REAL ESTATE BUSINESS GROUP: GWADAR OFFICE: NEW TOWN PHASE NO: 1, AIRPORT ROAD, GWADAR PH: (92-86) 4004095