International Customs Day is celebrated all over the world on 26th January to enhance public awareness about the unifying role of Customs in a world divided by borders.
The Customs administrations all over the world are confronted with the challenges of trade facilitation and maintaining international supply chain security against the backdrop of increasing trans-national crime, commercial fraud, money-laundering, drug trafficking etc the harmful impact of these phenomena on the world trade is commonly recognised by all Customs administrations, which has led them to rely or each other more than ever before through, either through enhanced sharing of intelligence and forging of operational ties. The national Customs authorities thus represent the nodes of a grand international Customs network, protecting international trade lanes, irrespective of the countries to which they belong.
Port Qasim Customs is fully alive to all these challenges and is part of Pakistan Customs' efforts to evolve a multi-faceted framework for co-operation with the national trade to protect and promote common interests in all areas of operation. Today, Pakistan Customs is developing institutional relationships for sharing of information and intelligence, expertise and skills in areas where operational and technical innovation is imperative, such as automation of clearance procedures, setting up of Electronic Data Interchanges (EDIs), creation of customs databases, and induction of appropriate technologies in relation to them. All this is in addition to developing support systems for capacity building in the core operational areas of valuation, drug interdiction, IPR management etc.
To give effect to FBR's commitment to providing a modern, automated environment in customs operations, consistent with the principles of trade facilitation, Pakistan Customs successfully launched Web-based One Customs (WeBOC) at Port Qasim last year. The pre-eminent features of WeBOC include electronic business processing of imports and exports, from filling of goods declaration to on-line payment of duties and refunds to clearance of cargo. The system encompasses core customs operations and sets new standards in the introduction of transparency, utilisation of advanced technology, an providing optimum facilitation to the business community. WeBOC represents a major milestone in the efforts of Pakistan Customs to redefine and reinforce its role as a facilitator of trade and industry in Pakistan. On this day, I would like to reiterate the commitment of Port Qasim Customs to optimum trade facilitation in the same manner as demonstrated in the past.