Daily Times

Pakistan Customs after completing business process mapping in June, 2024, has held a three-day workshop in Islamabad moderated by international experts from Maersk and KGH. This workshop was attended by senior management of customs including Members, Director-Generals and other senior officers to decide the design of future customs strategy document.

Being one of the first public sector organizations of Pakistan that embraced automation and digitization of its processes, Customs is poised to adopt the latest technological tools available to enhance efficacy, transparency and accountability in the department. Building upon the previous experience of a digitized Customs Clearance System (WeBOC), Pakistan Customs intends to implement the most modern digital solutions to enhance revenue, border compliance and facilitate trade.

Pakistan Customs has remained cognizant of the challenges posed by growing globalization of cross-border trade and transit supply chains, geographic dispersion of manufacturing and adoption of disruptive technologies. The traditional role of Customs from physical border checks is changing to a multi-functional and whole-of-government strategic player in border controls, trade facilitation, regional connectivity and economic growth. To align its vision and mission with its enhanced role in regulating international trade, Pakistan Customs with support from World Bank has embarked on an ambitious transformation of its core business processes to minimize human discretion and utilize modern technology for uniformity in its operations in line with the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Upon completion, the Customs Transformation Project is expected to re-align the legal framework, organizational structure and operational model of Pakistan Customs with the international best practices as outlined in the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the WTO. Upgradation of risk management, post-clearance audit capabilities, use of technology and elimination of redundant processes would enable Customs to re-direct its resources towards more critical functions without incurring new costs.

Customs Transformation Project involves deployment of latest technologies for providing digital solutions to achieve the aims of transparency, good governance and trade facilitation. Once completely rolled-out, the Customs Transformation Project will replace the aging WeBOC system with a risk management based and AI enabled system for efficient handling of cargo and minimizing risks of smuggling, under-invoicing and misdeclarations. The Prime Minister has constituted a ‘Steering Committee’ headed by Finance Minister to ensure close oversight, removal of difficulties and timely completion of the Project.