The All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA) today demanded the immediate suspension of the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) point scoring and deduction framework for licensed customs agents, citing flawed implementation that is causing significant hardship to professionals nationwide.
In a formal statement, APCAA Chairman Arshad Khurshid described the system as a “positive and progressive initiative in principle” but contended that its current application is defective. He argued that the mechanism is penalising agents even in situations where no fault or violation has occurred on their part.
The chairman elaborated that the scoring framework, originally intended to identify genuine violations with a revenue impact, is being misapplied. ‘Despite repeated identification of anomalies and representations made to the FBR, corrective measures have yet to materialise,’ Mr. Khurshid stated, highlighting that this has created operational hurdles and business uncertainty.
Mr. Khurshid noted that the Point Deduction Mechanism, along with the Faceless Assessment System, was part of a government reform agenda to boost transparency and efficiency. He affirmed that customs agents had welcomed these initiatives despite initial challenges.
The association acknowledged the successful efforts of Chief Collector Customs Appraisement South Wajid Ali in resolving operational issues concerning faceless assessment, remarking that his tenure had seen several trade concerns streamlined.
However, the APCAA chairman maintained that the point deduction scheme continues to suffer from a lack of transparent review and proper recalibration. He asserted that the absence of a consultative process with stakeholders had led to unjustified point deductions.
The association reiterated its call for the system to be put on hold until it can be appropriately readjusted in collaboration with APCAA and other relevant parties. Following these corrections, the mechanism could be reintroduced in a structured and fair manner, focusing solely on its intended purpose.
APCAA concluded by affirming its support for reforms promoting transparency, accountability, and trade facilitation, on the condition that they are implemented in a fair and rational way.