Cross-border trade facilitation: NSW system software to be developed by April 2019

Pakistan will develop single window system software by April 2019 to improve management of cross border trade in Pakistan by providing a single platform for transactions related to imports, exports and transit trade, reducing the cost of doing businesses and improving government controls. An official of finance ministry said that Finance Minister Asad Umar chaired a meeting and reviewed the progress. The meeting was informed that to improve the efficiency in management of cross border trade in Pakistan as well as to fulfill commitment under then WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the Prime Minister's Office on October 13, 2017 designated Pakistan Customs as the Lead Agency to implement ICT (Information Communication Technology) based National Single Window (NSW) system.
Sources added that a NSW facility allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single-entry point to fulfill all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements. The FBR has established a dedicated NSW Program Management Office (PMO) in its Customs Wing to lead and coordinate NSW implementation.
The FBR, with assistance from local and foreign technical experts, completed a 'situation analysis report' of relevant stakeholders in February 2018 and finalized NSW blueprint and implementation program in April 2018.
In line with the recommendations in aforementioned documents, the Prime Minister's Office in May 2018 directed the FBR to notify the Steering Committee under the chairmanship of Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs.
The committee comprises of the relevant federal secretaries was to ensure inter-ministerial coordination and participation on NSW related issues.
Meanwhile, the FBR has got approval of Concept Clearance Paper from CDWP in August 2018.
Sources further stated that to ensure broader consultation and collaboration among relevant public as well as private sector stakeholders, six working groups comprising their nominees have already been notified for the key areas of NSW program.
The business process re-engineering exercise of participating government departments has been initiated which upon completion by April 2019, will enable the FBR to start developing the software.
The software, sources maintained will also enable the FBR to propose needed alignment in laws and processes related to imports, exports and transit trade for various departments & divisions.
Additionally, the FBR is obtaining technical assistance from development partners to finalize studies, in line with the best global practices, on port community system, integrated risk management and detailed project design.
The FBR expects to operationalise Pakistan's NSW before trade facilitation agreement (TFA) deadline of February 2022, provided political support remains available. The new system will provide the much needed single platform for government to government (G2G) as well as business to government and business to business (B2B) and even consumer to consumer (C2C) transactions related to imports, exports and transit trade, reducing the cost of doing businesses and improving government controls.