DIRECTORATE GENERAL (TRAINING and RESEARCH) KARACHI: The regional hub of customs training

Housed in a graceful building of post-Victorian era known as Old Custom House, in the proximity of iconic Merry-weather Tower of Karachi is the prestigious training institution of Customs, now named as Directorate General, Training & Research, (Customs). Custom's role in the development of Karachi as a Port City with its overseas trade activity dates back to seventh decade of the nineteen century.
The first Collector of Customs, Mr C.A.Garlton was appointed in 1878.The present Directorate General, Customs Training has been functioning as Customs Academy for newly recruited Customs officials and for the Customs executive, since its very inception. However, for the last fifteen years, it is also offering training facilities for the mid-career officers of Customs and Excise groups, functionaries of other enforcement agencies, and the groups of business communities on very significant subjects pertaining modern business practices and trade concepts and techniques, in the perspective of fast changing economic realities of the present world.
The Director General of Training & Research, Customs with its four classrooms with multi-media and video -conferencing equipment, two computer labs with internet and networking facilities, an auditorium of a capacity of about 300 persons, a conference room of capacity of 50 people, syndicate rooms, a grand library , hostel facility for the trainees, cafeteria and modern style offices for the faculty and administration is well placed to achieve that objective.
The vision of DGTR is to emerge as a premier regional institution to impart tax education & quality training in fiscal & economic management, to enhance professionalism, responsiveness, creative, analytical capabilities & intellectual integrity of all the stake holders in a global perspective. The mission of DGTR is to develop an empowered, motivated, client focused and efficient workforces, and to promote tax compliant culture trough training, research and tax education to met the new business challenges.
"Knowledge -a catalyst for Customs excellence" is the theme of International Custom Day for the year 2011.Knowledge is the most central to customs operations whether it is trade transactions or enforcement issues.The Directorate General is aspiring to secure a reputation for excellence by demonstrating its potential for quality and innovation in training and research, capturing the spirit of reforms at FBR, as well as the introduction of information technology in the tax administrative machinery.
The pace of change in tax administration, being much faster than other tools of governance, has necessitated revamping of its support organs,imparting relevant knowledege with special emphasis on training & research.Programmes or research methods that were considered innovative ten or even five years ago have quickly become obsolete or commonplace. The traditional system of imparting training to the tax collectors will have to change to one of equipping all the employees of FBR with the knowledge and skills to achieve their potential in the challenging times and according to new business scenario in accordance with International best practices.
The real challenges lie in improving professionalism and knowledge of the tax collectors to be more efficient and effective. However, the idea is not just about transforming DGTR thorough technology; it is also about creating and retaining the capacity and capability to innovate and use technology effectively. This is the only way in which DGTR can keep up with a continually changing departmental needs and aspirations. So the challenge ahead is not just to 'do it better 'in the context of the past experience of delivery of class room lectures.
It is also about 'doing it differently' to support the next phase of FBR reform -creating professional workforce through quality training and education. This requires difficult long-term strategic change in the DGTR, how technology is used, and how competencies and skill are aligned to support trainers and instructors. The ambition for technology enabled change is very difficult but is achievable through a coherent and consistent strategy.
The current economic dynamics are exceedingly rapid, and overwhelming. This scenario has necessitated a visionary approach and endeavour to respond to the training exigencies of future. After huge refurbishment of the building the status of the existing training directorate has none risen to an international level, as the government funded project of establishing international training centre for Customs in the Directorate General has been completed. Before long, it is expected that it would be declared as "Regional Hub of Customs training" by World Customs Organisation, under the auspices of Federal Board of Revenue.