ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar has said that the Pakistan Customs being a member of the international Customs fraternity is celebrating the International Customs Day on January 26, 2016.
In his message on the occasion of the International Customs Day, he said, “Its the occasion to demonstrate the efforts and achievements of the Customs administration in realization of government revenues, facilitation of international trade, as well as , enforcing the controls at the international borders to safeguard the society from the inflow illicit and dangerous goods.” In order to underscore the critical need of automation and connectivity in enforcing controls and extending facilitation to international trade, World Customs Organization (WCO) has chosen the theme of “Digital Customs”, with the slogan of “Progressive Engagement”, for this year s Customs Day, he said.
Since Customs administrations around the world intract with the global supply chains, it becomes imperative to adopt best international practices for ensuring smooth and seamless movement of goods across borders. This is possible only through automated Customs processes . Pakistan Customs invested considerable resources in bridging the digital gap.
A fine example of the efforts made by Pakistan Customs clearance known as WeBOC and I am glad to say that it is able to process more than 97% of trade, import, export or transit crossing Pakistans borders. A Customs administration must aim to strike a delicate balance between trade facilitation and Customs controls. The digitization of Customs procedures is perhaps the only way to achieve this fine balance . I hope that Pakistan Customs will continue to follow the path of modernization and trade facilitation. In the end, I extend my warm felicitations to the officers of Pakistan Customs on this auspicious International Customs Day.
