LAHORE: Pakistan Customs will facilitate the business community in clearance of goods to increase their competitiveness through Web Based One Customs (WeBOC) clearance system.
These thoughts were expressed by Mr. Rozi Khan Burki, Chief Collector of Customs while inaugurating the training workshop at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lahore. Mr. Zulfiqar Younas, Director of Training and Research (Customs) Lahore while speaking on the occasion stressed for more enhanced cooperation between customs department and business community in order to ensure efficient clearance of import and export cargo and stated that the subject workshop is a step in the same direction. LCCI President Ijaz A Mumtaz thanked the Directorate of Training Customs and Chief Collector for organizing this workshop for the benefit of business community.
For the first time, The Directorate of Training & Research (Customs) Lahore in collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry organized a hands-on training workshops on Web Based One Customs(WEBOC) systems for the business community. Web Based One Customs, as the name suggests, is an interactive web based goods clearance system for both import and export of goods to and from Pakistan. It is one of the most modern and efficient system of clearance of goods which is available in most of the developed countries. Under this system goods clearance is handled electronically with minimum physical contact between taxpayer and tax collector. It seeks to create a paperless environment and do away with the role of middlemen/agents. It is meant to enhance transparency and reduce corruption. Simultaneously this is also aimed at helping the business community to do the business with more flexibility and at faster pace. It also ensures efficient supply chain solutions for business community.It was initially launched in 2014 and has been running successfully at all Customs ports across the country.
The training was arrangedto give hands-on training to importers/exporters to assist them to use WEBOC system and reduce dependence on clearing agents.The business community showed keen interest in this very useful workshop. It was held at the LCCI premises and RizwanSalabat, Additional Director, Customs Intelligence Mr. Inamul Wahid, Manager PRAL, Lahore imparted the training. To facilitate maximum number of LCCI members, the training will take place on regular intervals over the next three months. Special arrangements have been made in collaboration with Customs’ Directorate of Reforms and Automation to impart the training on real time system through dedicated and special online access to WEBOC system.
Chief Collector Burki, while briefing the participants about efficacy, objectives and salient features of the new system said that it is a facilitation based system and emphasized that this system reduces clearance time by profiling importers/exporters on risk based management system. He said that the WeBOC system has brought about transparency in processing and helps traders to do their business in an improved environment with cost reduced costs. He said that due to the successful operation of WEBOC, the Customs Department is trying to bring all Customs operations on WeBOC by June 2015. Mr. Zulfiqar Younas, Director Training said that this training will enable the users to work efficiently on WeBOC. He said that this training is being conducted to familiarize the end users of WeBOC with the system so that they can do away with their dependence on clearing agents and other middle men. He thanked the LCCI for their overwhelming support and cooperation. The Secretary General, LCCI Shahid Khalil thanked the Chief Collector for inaugurating the event and he also thanked the Director of Training Customs for excellentinitiative and cooperation.
This training workshop shows the commitment of the Pakistan Customs Department to assist and facilitate the business community to reduce the time and cost of Customs clearance. Once the businesses use this system efficiently it will help the industry to reduce the cost of doing business and increase their profits. This workshop will be conducted regularly by the Directorate of Training (Customs), Lahore at LCCI over the next three months. Interested participants can register for these trainings through LCCI.
