The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) is working on a National Trade Facilitation Strategy (NTFS) to make the systems and procedures for transacting business in Pakistan at par with the best in the world.
The draft of the NTFS has been circulated among all stakeholders, soliciting their comments and views, which may be accommodated before finalising the Strategy. The ultimate aim is to promote sustainable development and economic prosperity.
According to the NTFS draft, with the developments in WTO and globalisation of trade, trade facilitation has become an important tool for improving the competitive edge of a country in the international market place.
Pakistan is the founding member of Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO). Many member countries of the ECO are landlocked. To facilitate transit trade of these countries, the ECO has adopted 'Transit Trade Framework Agreement' (TTFA). The ECO member states in 1997 initiated a Programme of Action for 'ECO Decade of Transport and Communications (1998-07)'.
One of its requirements was accession to a number of international conventions. Pakistan has not yet acceded to most of these conventions. This is a major hindrance in the development of transit trade through Pakistan.
Pakistan Customs will keep abreast with the developments in World Customs Organisation (WCO) to ensure that all procedures and systems adopted by Pakistan Customs are in accordance with the treaty obligations and latest recommendations of WCO.
Convention on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System and the Revised Koyoto Convention will be fully implemented. Pakistan Customs Act will be revised to meet the requirement of the latest international standards.
Pakistan Customs will adopt 'WCO Safe' framework of standards and develop Customs-to-Customs network arrangement and Customs-to Business Partnership.
The legislation relating to Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls will be reviewed and revised to ensure compliance with the WTO agreement on the application.
To facilitate trade to the landlocked member countries of ECO, Pakistan government will collaborate with other member countries of ECO to achieve early implementation of ECO transit transport framework agreement (TTFA).
The international convention for unification of certain rules relating to Bills of Lading of 1924 (The Hague Rules), as amended by the Protocol of 1968 (Visby Rules) and SDR Protocol of 1979 will be acceded to make the proposed carriage of goods by Sea Act applicable internationally.
To upgrade the qualification standards of freight forwards arrangements will be made by Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association (Piffa) with suitable institutions to conduct Fiata-approved courses for training of freight forwarders.
Training of human resource has been identified as a major area of weakness in implementing IT-oriented international trade transaction. To improve proficiency of the human resource Pakistan Customs will take necessary steps.