The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a Centralized Customs Examination system aimed at combating corruption among customs appraisers and examiners. As part of this initiative, a Centralized Examination Unit (CEU) has been established in Karachi to ensure transparency and efficiency by randomly assigning imported consignments for inspection. The new system was formalized through Customs General Order No. 1 of 2025, issued on Tuesday.
The FBR stated that the Centralized Customs Examination system is designed to improve the quality of customs inspections, expedite the clearance of goods, enhance trade facilitation, and bring greater transparency to the process. The CEU will initially operate in Karachi, with its location to be notified by the Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement (South). Deputy and Assistant Collectors will be posted at the CEU to address system-related and operational issues, while appraisers will be assigned based on requirements.
Under the new procedure, all consignments arriving at Karachi Port terminals will be examined through the CEU. Goods declarations (GDs) filed at the Collectorates of Customs Appraisement — East, West, and SAPT, Karachi, and assigned for examination through the Customs Computerized System (CCS) will also be processed via the CEU. In the next phase, the system will be expanded to other customs stations, including Port Qasim and other locations across the country.
Appraisers from the Collectorates of Customs Appraisement — East, West, and SAPT, Karachi, will be placed at the CEU. They will be randomly assigned to specific port terminals or off-dock terminals (ODTs) for three days, with the possibility of an extension to one week based on operational needs. The CCS will then randomly allocate containers and LCL consignments to appraisers for examination at their designated terminals.
The FBR emphasized that all examinations should ideally be completed on the same day. If an examination remains pending, it must be finalized by the same examiner the following day. In cases where required documents are not uploaded on the same day, the CCS will reassign the examination to another available examiner the next day.
To ensure transparency, appraisers will be equipped with tablets and body cameras integrated with the CCS. These devices will allow the real-time uploading of pictures and examination reports. A Central Control Room will monitor live footage from the body cameras under the supervision of Assistant/Deputy Collectors (CEU). The footage will be stored for a minimum of three months for retrieval when needed.
Additionally, goods declarations requiring finalization at the level of Assistant or Deputy Collectors will be forwarded through the system for further processing.
