By Abdul Rafay Siddiqi
KARACHI: The Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement (South), Muhammad Jamil Nasir Khan, has highlighted the transformative impact of the newly launched Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) System, which has significantly reduced Goods Declaration (GD) clearance times to just 18 hours, compared to the previous average of 109 hours.
Speaking at a session hosted by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Jamil Nasir emphasized how the system benefits importers by cutting demurrage charges and eliminating the need for physical visits to customs offices or prolonged litigation processes. Since its implementation in mid-December, the FCA system has demonstrated robust performance in revenue collection, with Rs. 86 billion amassed in its initial 15 days.
KCCI President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani expressed optimism about the system’s potential to modernize port operations and streamline container traffic, stressing the importance of ensuring the FCA system operates at full capacity. He also suggested further optimizations, such as categorizing industries for quicker refund processing to ease cash flow constraints for businesses. Bilwani underscored that improved customs efficiency could play a pivotal role in addressing Pakistan’s trade deficit by expediting clearance processes and reducing costs for importers.
