New building for model customs collectorate

The reforms programme in Customs represents a major step forward in the way cargo would be handled in Pakistan. This was stated by the Collector Appraisement and Project Director Customs Administrative Reforms (CARE), Azhar Majeed Khalid at a handing over ceremony of refurbished building for Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) to Customs by Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) here on Friday. Khalid said, "The basic objective of CARE is to ensure expeditious clearance of cargo in the most simplified manner and it would greatly enhance the necessary infrastructure required to gear up trade and industry to compete in this global competitive environment."
"The KICT and Pakistan Customs have indeed worked with commitment and we have great confidence that this project would be a success and that there will be increasing gains to the trade and economy, while all the stakeholders have been taken into confidence before devising this system," Khalid said.
KICT Chief Executive Officer, Khurram S. Abbas said, "The KICT is proud to have been selected as the pilot-project site for implementation of CARE and has the privilege of playing a key role in the shift from the present regime of 100 percent inspection to a modern risk management system".
He stressed on the importance of the reforms being introduced under the CARE project. The visionary policies of the government and its leadership have resulted in an unprecedented acceleration in trade growth, Khurram added.
"As a subsidiary of the Hutchison Port Holdings Group, the KICT have several advantages, including access to cutting-edge container handling technology, training resources and solid financial support to develop and implement such automation and port infrastructure projects," the KICT CEO said.
Khurram said the KICT was committed to facilitating country's growth by taking all initiatives necessary to bring advancement to the logistics supply chain and working with all stakeholders in order to contribute to the economic development as an important trade centre in the region.
"We will continue to strengthen our competitive edge by enhancing productivity and reducing container dwelling time at the terminal and investing substantially in implementation of such trade facilitation projects," he added. Later, Khurram S. Abbas handed over the keys of the building for MCC to Azhar Majeed Khalid.