The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has issued 'User IDs' to over 6500 importers/exporters, 1415 clearing agents, 61 shipping agents, 48 warehousing agents, 15 foreign embassies, six departments and 33 banks for using the Pakistan Customs Computerised System (PACCS) under the CARE project.
A CBR report showed that the software, known as 'PACCS', is an end-to-end integrated system covering all customs functions so that importers and exporters can timely clear their goods without any hassle. Being web-based application, the prerequisite of new system is that all stakeholders must obtain 'User ID' and 'password' to interact with the system.
The implementation plan envisages phased out launch of the Project. Therefore, in the first phase, Model Collectorate of Customs started giving 'User ID' and 'passwords' since March 23, 2005. So far, the above-said importers/exporters, clearing agents etc were given the 'User Ids'.
The analysis confirmed that the Model Collectorate of Customs cleared approximately 12.7 percent consignments in less than one hour, 26 percent were cleared within one to two hours, 9.5 percent in two to four hours. Thus 48.1 percent consignments were cleared in less than 4 hours. The growth of Goods Declaration (GD) filing is also satisfactory under the PACCS.
In the second phase, shipping lines/agents started filing Carrier Declarations electronically to PACCS. Now all the Manifest Information for vessels calling at KICTL are being received by PACCS and are being disseminated to Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) and upcountry dry ports.
In the third phase, PACCS accepted a limited number of Goods Declaration for imports over the web. Gradually and systematically, the scope of work was expanded and now all GDs are filed over the Web in cases where the vessels berth at KICT.
Around 1500 clearing agents, 100 top traders, 75 shipping agents got formal training at Directorate of Training and at Model Collectorate of Customs, Karachi.
The report said that it was premature to look into the results being achieved as the system was in stabilisation stage. However, a look into statistics was very encouraging. PACCS achieved significant reduction in customs processing time, succeeded in elimination of contact between customs staff and external stakeholder and enhanced efficiency of customs staff. With the processing of Goods Declaration through an automated environment, at Model Collectorate of Customs, processing time, which used to be for many days, has been reduced to a few hours.
The system is compliant with WTO, WCO, and GATT standards. This makes easy the interface to external systems, ease trade facilitation and enhance customs revenue. PACCS maintains security and access control from any device, any time, anywhere. PACCS provides user authentication and identification to secure the Web sites. The most modern Firewalls and anti-virus software are used to bounce back unauthorised users and ward off hacking attacks. In the last quarter of the current year, it will be replicated to Port Qasim and AFU Karachi. In a year and half time the entire Pakistan Customs administration would be working on a state-of-the-art automated, paperless, and web-enabled system.
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