ISLAMABAD (June 11 2005): The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has announced a new procedure to regulate loading and unloading of cargo on ships. The CBR has introduced a new section 72A in the Customs Act, 1996 to lay down the responsibilities of the person in charge or master of a conveyance, agent and owner of the conveyance.
Official sources told Business Recorder on Friday that agents/owners of the shipping vessels have a pivotal role in the trade through sea route. There is need to regulate these activities for convenience of the stakeholders. A procedure has been proposed through introduction of section 72A in the Customs Act.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED SECTION 72A: “The person in charge of the conveyance, master, agent and owner of the vessel shall jointly and individually be responsible to submit the following information to the Collector of Customs, namely:-
(a) loading or unloading of any container or package, etc, which is believed to contain any other goods or has different weight or quantity or freight than declared in the bill of lading or any other document in the knowledge of such person;
(b) the name and full address with telephone number of the person who stuffed the goods in the container if he is other than the actual owner of the goods;
(c) the name and full address with telephone number of the person who issued a consignment note or the house bill of lading in case of a person other than licensed by the customs as Customs agent; and
(d) full details and photo copies of corrigendum or instructions issued by the owner of the goods or by other persons for change in the name of consignee or consignor or destination or regarding weight, value, description and quantity of the goods loaded on the conveyance arriving or leaving Pakistan”.
