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Pak consul clears air on ‘VIP duty free facility’

But Ghafoor was stopped and not only asked to pay duty for certain items that he was carrying, but he was also pulled up by the customs staff upon asking for a separate counter for special handling.

A much perplexed Ghafoor said that he had been remitting money regularly to Pakistan and as per the Pakistan government’s special package to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, he should have been allowed to carry duty free imports of various electrical and machinery items.

“As a Pakistani who remitted money regularly through the proper channel, I’m entitled to VIP treatment on arrival, but the customs instead treated me quite roughly. They’re ignorant about the kind of treatment that they should have given to me,” said a frustrated Ghafoor.

But what Ghafoor was not clear about was that the items he was carrying were compulsorily dutiable items for international incoming passengers some of which include: air conditioners, cooking ranges, deep freezers, microwave ovens, refrigerators, television, washing machines and fax machines.

Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai Amanullah Larik told Khaleej Times that many overseas Pakistanis were not very clear about the items on which duties are compulsory.

“Many of them think that once they possess the Gold or Silver Card, they are automatically entitled to bring duty free items to Pakistan,” said Mr Larik. “But this is not the case.”

“Remittances by Overseas Pakistanis, through normal banking channels, are a vital source of balance of payments support for the country. Funds channeled through hundi or other means bypass legal conduits and deprive the country of much needed support. Cognizant of the problem of diminishing home remittances, the government initiated a concerted programme to facilitate those Non-Resident Pakistanis who remit money through normal banking channels,” said Mr Larik

To avail of the privileges and incentives given by the government, Gold and Silver Remittances Cards are issued to those Overseas Pakistanis by Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), who have remitted foreign currency equivalent to $2,500 and $10,000 per annum, respectively through normal banking channels.

“As soon as the remitter achieves the remittance target in the stipulated time frame, he may fill in the prescribed application form and submit it to the OPF Head Office in Pakistan or the Pakistani mission abroad, along with the Remittance Book in person or through courier service,” he said.

Mr Larik also said that further incentives and concessions of duty free Personal Baggage Allowance for Overseas Pakistani holders of Silver and Gold Cards had been announced in the Federal Budget 2003-2004. “Many substitutions in the Package of Incentives were carried out from July 1, 2003,” he added. He also said that duty free allowance of personal baggage of a value of $ 800 during a calendar year, was increased to $1000 for a Silver Card Holder and to $2000 for a Gold Card Holder.

Mr Larik said that Non-Resident Pakistanis remitting foreign currency equivalent to $2,500 per annum to Pakistan are entitled to separate counters for special handling at arrival and departures lounges at airports, free issuance and renewal of passport on an urgent basis, duty free allowance of personal baggage of a value of $1,000 during a calendar year.

He also said that Non-Resident Pakistanis remitting foreign currency equivalent to $10,000 or more are also entitled to separate counters for special handling at arrival and departures lounges at airports, free issuance and renewal of passport on an urgent basis and duty free allowance of personal baggage of a value of $2,000 during a calendar year.

Mr Larik said that the card holders can avail of several facilities including a special quota to be reserved in the public sector professional colleges and universities, allocation of up to 25 per cent in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), ballot of choice plots in public housing schemes at attractive prices, discount in auctions of industrial units by Corporate and Industrial Restructuring Corporation (CIRC) and special allocation of shares in privatisation of government owned entities among others.

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