ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will launch “PortVerse” maritime one-window system during the first week of August in Karachi.
Port Community System (PCS) is a digital platform that facilitates information exchange and collaboration among stakeholders in a port community.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, CEO PSW Aftab Haider on Wednesday said that the “PortVerse” acts as a central hub, enabling efficient and secure data sharing between various entities like customs, port authorities, shipping lines, and freight forwarders. By streamlining communication and automating processes, PCS aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and security in port operations and global trade.
PSW CEO explains trade facilitation, regional connectivity agenda
The CEO said that we are optimistic that this PCS will help in reducing clearance of containers time at ports from 52 hours to just 12 hours.
He said that the government will perform a system audit of the WeBOC (Web-Based Computerised Clearance System) application and the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) to evaluate glitches and issues that have occurred over the past two to three years.
Haider also confirmed that some technical glitches in system occurred before the start of this year; however, he ruled out any revenue losses from these technical glitches.
The system had lacked proper validation since 2015, allowing some users to manipulate WeBOC system, the CEO added.
He also clarified that there were no technical glitches involved in the recently surfaced high-end smuggled vehicle scam; rather, someone had misused a user’s login credentials.
The CEO PSW also informed that the Federal Board of Revenue is working on integrating scanners, which will help consolidate data in a centralized system.
Haider also said that PSW has been established to facilitate the cross border trade, by streamlining and reducing the movement time through digitalisation and eliminating human interaction to the maximum limit.
Currently, around 23 government departments and 29 banks were in the PSW system and all were interlinked at the single platform, facilitating stakeholders including the traders and the truckers who have to wait for hours to load containers at the ports.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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