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Customs auction rules, SRO 1630(I)/2026: inspect, sign the undertaking, and the fifteen-day appeal

ClearAgent Team·
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Written 15 October 2026. Customs auctions in Pakistan now carry a signed undertaking. A bidder who wins a lot must state in writing that the goods were inspected, and in the same document gives up later claims about discrepancies in them. Separately, a bidder unhappy with a Collector's order under the auction rules now has a fixed appeal route with a fifteen-day clock.

The instrument is SRO 1630(I)/2026, dated 18 September 2026. It amends Chapter V of the Customs Rules, 2001. In its own words, FBR "is pleased to direct" that the amendments "shall be made", having first published them as a draft under section 219(3A) in SRO 1458(I)/2026. Everything below is read from the notification. It does not state a separate commencement date, and this article does not supply one.

The three changes

1. Goods must be open for inspection before the auction

Rule 61, clause (d) now reads: "the goods shall be available for inspection by the bidders prior to the auction date as per time line approved by the Collector concerned".

2. The successful bidder signs an undertaking

New sub-rule (5) in rule 73: "The successful bidder shall give an undertaking that he has inspected the goods for which bidding is being done", in the form at Appendix-A.

3. A fifteen-day appeal to the Chief Collector

New sub-rule (3) in rule 75: a bidder aggrieved by an order passed by the Collector under sub-rule (1) may appeal to the Chief Collector concerned "within fifteen days of the date of such order". The Chief Collector, after a hearing, "shall decide such appeals within sixty days of filing thereof".

Those are two different clocks. Fifteen days is the bidder's window to file, counted from the date of the Collector's order. Sixty days is the Chief Collector's window to decide, counted from filing.

What the undertaking actually says

Appendix-A is addressed to the Collector of the Collectorate concerned. Its subject line is "Undertaking regarding physical inspection of goods before submission of auction bid/re-bidding against lot no.". The person signing, either the bidder or an authorised representative, declares three things:

  1. that the goods were physically inspected, personally or through an authorised representative, including their present physical state;
  2. the date and place of that inspection, and who carried it out;
  3. that they will not, at any later stage, "whether before or after the acceptance of our bid, or delivery/possession of the Goods", raise any objection, claim, dispute, or request for revision of rates, compensation or cancellation of the auction on the ground of an alleged discrepancy regarding the goods.

The third point is the one to read twice. Signing the undertaking closes off later discrepancy claims about the lot.

The form asks for the CNIC, NTN or registration number, contact details and official stamp. Where a representative signs, it asks for the CNICs of both the actual bidder and the representative. Two witnesses sign with their CNICs.

Note the sequence. The rule puts the undertaking on the successful bidder, so it is given after the bid wins. But it certifies an inspection that, by the form's own subject line, comes before the bid. The inspection has to happen first, within the timeline the Collector approves.

A practical checklist

  • Find out the inspection timeline the Collector has approved for the lot, and inspect within it.
  • Record the inspection date, the place, and who inspected. The undertaking asks for all three.
  • Read clause (c) before signing. After signing, a discrepancy in the goods is no longer a ground to object, claim or seek cancellation.
  • If a Collector's order under rule 75(1) goes against you, note the date of the order. The appeal to the Chief Collector must be filed within fifteen days of it.

Read from SRO 1630(I)/2026 as published by FBR: the notification PDF (dated 18 September 2026, C. No. 2(4)L&P/2026, signed by the Secretary (Law & Procedure)). The scan's text layer is unreliable, so the quotations were read from the page images on 15 October 2026. This is general information about the rules, not legal advice; verify against the notification before acting.