Faceless customs assessment cuts clearance time to 18 hours: chief collector

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KARACHI: Chief Collector of Customs Appraisal (South) Muhammad Jameel Nasir Khan said that the recently launched faceless customs assessment (FCA) system has significantly improved customs operations, which will allow goods declaration (GD) ) clearance time has come down to an average of 18 hours compared to the previous 109. hours

During a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Khan highlighted the positive effects of the system on importers, including reduction in demurrage charges and costs. He noted that the FCA eliminates the need for importers to visit public offices or engage in lengthy litigation. Since its launch in mid-December, the system has maintained strong revenue collections, collecting Rs 86 billion in the first 15 days of its implementation.

Khan explained that the speedy approval of GDs by the FCA system is expected to encourage other departments to speed up their operations, which will help the overall competitiveness of the economy.

He outlined plans to set up a central examination center in Karachi, equipped with body cameras for examinees, to ensure transparency and real-time monitoring. The project, supported by the World Bank, will also include an incentive-based system for evaluators, linking their performance to the speed, quality and quantity of GD processing. The system will be expanded through the establishment of Customs Assessment Units (CAUs) in Lahore and Islamabad, integrated with operations in Karachi, which currently handle 80 percent of imports.

Khan acknowledged initial challenges but credited KCCI’s unwavering support for enabling its smooth implementation. They highlighted a 31 percent reduction in GDs coming through the red and yellow channels, a significant increase in green channel approvals, and a 75 percent reduction in document calling.

The new system does away with the group-based evaluation structure, consolidating all 80 personnel into a single controlled environment where GDs are processed sequentially to prevent bias. This streamlined clearance process reduces additional costs for importers, such as delays and unnecessary payments, while ensuring revenue integrity.

Khan emphasized that the FCA system is already providing substantial benefits to importers of industrial raw materials and addressing the issues in commercial and miscellaneous imports. He reiterated his commitment to further expand customs operations to support Pakistan’s economic development.

Earlier, President KCCI Mohammad Javed Balwani welcomed the Collector Customs and appreciated the launch of FCA system. “We believe the faceless assessment system will also prove favorable for exports as faster clearance of imported raw materials directly contributes to faster production, ultimately increasing exports,” Balwani said. Balwani said.

He urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure long-term uninterrupted operation of the system, as the system has the potential to speed up the movement of containers at ports, leading to global The ranking of Pakistan’s port operations will improve. “We hope to introduce similar reforms to further streamline the clearance process, enabling consignment clearance within hours,” he added.

Emphasizing the need for a completely foolproof faceless system, Balwani suggested that its success would reduce the need for dry ports across the country. Consolidation of all import consignment clearance at ports through a faceless system will address issues like corruption and misrepresentation.

Highlighting Pakistan’s recent achievement of a current account surplus, he pointed to the critical need to address the trade deficit. “Innovations like faster systems, faceless customs assessment, and other tools of automation are critical to achieving a trade surplus,” he remarked.