The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and commercial importers have urged the Federal Board of Revenue to tackle the crisis of clearance backlogs at ports.

Salim Valimohammad, the Pakistan Chemicals & Dyes Merchants Association chairman, has called on FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial to resolve the delays in customs clearance. He warned that prolonged backlogs could result in significant losses for importers due to demurrage and detention charges.

Valimohammad also requested that the FBR monitor the status of imported consignments daily, emphasising the need for timely clearance measures to expedite the resolution of the backlog.

He noted that while the Faceless Customs Clearance Assessment system is an improvement, “proper training for staff is essential before its implementation on December 15 to prevent further accumulation of container backlogs.”

Valimohammad highlighted the critical situation at ports where thousands of containers are stuck. He stressed the need for services to continue on Saturdays and Sundays until such containers are cleared.

While he acknowledged the advantages of the faceless customs clearance system, Valimohammad emphasised that adequate administrative preparations should have been made before its rollout to ensure efficient and timely processing of consignments.

He expressed concern over the backlog of consignments, attributing it to insufficient administrative capacity within the newly implemented faceless customs clearance assessment system. Valimohammad warned that the lack of preparation has led to a large accumulation of imported goods at ports, posing a serious risk of financial losses for importers.