ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to give the administrative control of Land Port Authority to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on its demand.
The Commerce Ministry had already withdrawn its powers to supervise the matter regarding LPA. The revenue authority has demanded to take LPA’s management as it deals with the customs issues.
The LPA was established on February 18, 2015 to oversee cross-border movement of goods and people after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif constituted a 13-member steering committee in January 2014 to look after the matters of Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS), headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, with five federal ministers and seven secretaries of relevant departments, to suggest solution for the establishment of land ports.
Under the project, three dry ports will be set up at Torkham, Chaman and Wagha border points to facilitate trade. The LPA would oversee construction, management and maintenance of the integrated border crossing points and future extension. The LPA would act as a common platform for all regulatory agencies, including customs, immigration, terminal operator, security, quarantine, banks, shipping agencies, and freight forwarders.