F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Traders community widely hailed the implementation of Pakistan Single Window (PSW) – an integrated system to facilitate cross-border trade, terming it as a milestone step toward Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)
The participants said the system would play a pivotal role in easing cumbersome goods clearance processes at borders by integration with relevant multiple departments as well as bringing efficiency and transparency to the overall border management system.
They viewed the PSW system as a unique example of Ease of Doing Business under the vision of Prime’s Minister Imran Khan, which would boost up mutual trade with landlocked Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asian Republics.
The speakers were addressing during an awareness seminar on Pakistan Single Window System, organized by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Pakistan Customs Department here at the Chamber’s House on Wednesday.
The session was chaired by SCCI President Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad. Additional Collector Customs Pakistan Single Window System, Salman Afzal and Deputy Collector Customs (Domain Officer PSW, Zaheer Abbas through a detailed multimedia presentation apprised the participants regarding main objectives and facilitating cross-border trade through PSW.
Besides, the SCCI Senior Vice president Imran Khan Mohmand, Vice President Javed Akhtar, former president Faiz Muhammad Faizi, former senior vice presidents Shahid Hussain, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Engr Manzoor Elahi, former vice president Shuja Muhammad, executive members Ghulam Hussain, S Minhajuddin, Sohail Javed, Syed Ejaz Ali Shah, Aftab Iqbal, Ihsanullah, Fazal e Wahid, Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, along with traders, exporters and importers were in attendance in a large number.
The customs senior officials on the occasion said the basic notion of Pakistan Single Window system to reduce cost and time in across border trade. They said the multiple concerned departments will work under the Single Window System that can accelerate clearing of goods trucks via borders to Afghanistan and onward trade to regional countries.
Salman Afzal said that early clearing of good consignments would prevent from paying heavy charges on heads of demurrage and detention by traders.
The senior official said that Pakistan being signatory of relevant WTO protocol was liable to implement Pakistan Single Window System because this system would remove physical interventions and bring more transparency and efficiency in the goods clearing and border management system.
Zaheer Abbas informed that more than 15 commercial banks had been linked with PSW system which would facilitate traders’ community in E-payment through banks after which the condition of Export and Import Form will no longer remain mandatory after introduction of unified E-payment banking system.
Hasnain Khurshid welcomed the implementation of Pakistan Single Window System for cross-border trade and expressed the hope that the PSW will not ensure rigidness in the process of cross-border trade but it will also bring transparency and improvement to the overall border management system.
Similarly, he said that the duplication in checking and scrutiny of documents/ goods will also be removed. He termed the PSW is a unique example of EoDB, which will ease difficulties of the traders community and facilitate trade with regional countries.
