ISLAMABAD: In order to streamline trade procedures and simplify workload, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that the faceless customs assessment (FCA) system, currently operational in Karachi, should be expanded and implemented in other cities as soon as possible.
The prime minister while chairing a review meeting on matters pertaining to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said that the performance of the bureau had significantly improved following its digitisation and reforms.
For the first time in history, he added, a system with faceless digitisation system had been introduced in the customs process, marking a significant milestone in the digitisation of FBR.
FBR establishes ‘Faceless Customs Assessment’
In order to further enhance the FCA system, he directed the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications and FBR to collaborate, adding the system should be shifted to artificial intelligence (AI) by minimising the human intervention.
He also directed for the development of a comprehensive strategy for the implementation of the track and trace system in various industrial sectors.
The meeting was briefed over the recent FBR reforms. The FCA system at all Karachi port terminals would be made fully operational by the end of February 2025, it was told.
Besides, efforts were under way to ensure its operation nationwide soon. A central control room was being established to monitor the faceless customs system, it was added.
The meeting was apprised that body cameras and tablets would be used to make the inspection recording system more transparent; whereas mobile signal jammers and CCTV cameras were also being installed at all terminals to enhance the transparency of the inspection system.
A transparent recruitment process for the new customs system had been initiated while a track and trace system had been implemented in all industrial units of the tobacco, fertilisers, sugar, and cement industries, the meeting was briefed.
The implementation of the track and trace system led to a significant increase in revenue from the tobacco, sugar, cement, and fertiliser industries in the fiscal year 2023-2024 compared to the previous corresponding year.
Further improvement in revenue from these industries was expected with the full implementation of the track and trace system this year, it was added.
The meeting was told that under the prime minister’s directive, the upgradation of the web-based One Customs began and its design was expected to be completed by the end of March.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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