FBR says faceless customs assessment will stay, CAU move to Islamabad final
The Federal Board of Revenue has said moving the Central Appraising Unit to Islamabad will not be reversed. It said average customs clearance time has fallen from 40.2 hours to 20.57 hours.
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- FBR says the Central Appraising Unit's move to Islamabad is the next phase of customs modernisation and will not be reversed
- Only assessment moves to Islamabad; examination and port operations stay in Karachi
- Average clearance time fell from 40.2 to 20.57 hours, with 83% of consignments cleared within 48 hours
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA). It said relocating the Central Appraising Unit (CAU) to Islamabad is the next phase of customs modernisation and is not subject to reversal.
The FBR said only the assessment function will move to Islamabad. Other functions will remain with the collectorate of jurisdiction, and physical examination and port operations will continue at Karachi. Traders can approach their respective Karachi collectorates to resolve issues.
The statement responded to concerns raised by the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) about clearance delays, valuation disputes and laboratory referrals. The FBR said the performance figures APTMA cited mostly relate to the initial months of implementation.
The board said average customs clearance time has fallen from 40.2 hours to 20.57 hours, and 83% of consignments are now cleared within 48 hours. It said customs valuation continues to be governed by Section 25 of the Customs Act, 1969, and that digital assessment does not allow arbitrary enhancement of declared values.
The FBR described the reform as part of its digital transformation, which includes the Digital Invoicing System and AI-based Digital Production Monitoring.
It said it will pursue backlog-clearance arrangements for EFS and export-oriented consignments, and offer green-channel facilitation for Authorised Economic Operators and compliant importers. Provisional release under Section 81 of the Customs Act, 1969, will be facilitated where legally applicable.
The proposed service timelines are 24 hours for assessment and first review, 48 hours for second review, 24 hours for examination after grounding, and 72 hours for laboratory results.
The FBR urged trade bodies to educate members about filing Goods Declarations before vessel arrival. It invited APTMA and other trade bodies to submit specific cases, including Goods Declaration numbers.
Why it matters
Importers and exporters, including textile mills, deal with customs assessment, which affects clearance time and the cost of imported goods sold in Pakistan.
