Pakistan Customs is celebrating International Customs Day on 26 January along with the world Customs community and reaffirming its commitment for security of international trade and effective customs operations. The importance of customs operations has risen tremendously in today's globalise world. The growing integration of trade demands seamless and secure procedures for customs clearance.
Therefore the need for acquiring and applying modern knowledge and skills to bring customs procedures and systems at par with best practices in world has increased manifold. The World Customs Organisation is celebrating 2011 as the year of "knowledge, as a catalyst for Customs excellence." No organisation can survive and develop with outdated procedures and age old laws. We have to keep abreast of modern times. Therefore enhanced use of modern technology and application of modern methods of management are unavoidable for the successful running of any organisation; Pakistan Customs is no exception to this rule.
I am pleased to acknowledge that Pakistan Customs is not oblivious to the challenges of the modern world. That is why Customs embarked upon an agenda of modernization of their systems through business process re-engineering, improving procedures for clearance of goods and realigning of their rules and regulations in line with the covenants set by World Customs Organisation. It was not an easy task. But sheer hard work of customs development team and their commitment to the task heralded a new era in history of customs by developing and implementing a wider use of technology in speedy and swift clearance of goods in Pakistan. It is not a one time exercise but a continuous process of updating and modernization. Therefore the process of modernization and reforms should continue for achievement of the desired results.
I hold out an assurance to all stake holders that the process of reform taken up by the Federal Board of Revenue shall continue till its objectives are achieved. We are determined for speedy clearance of goods, hassle free exports, electronic filing and processing of documents, along with wider applications of risk profiling and risk management in management of trade. We believe that this is the only road to efficiency, prosperity and national development.