KARACI: Pakistan Customs and the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan have successfully operationalized the electronic exchange of pre-arrival Customs information as of 22nd January 2026, following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two administrations.
The development follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Pakistan Customs and the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan. Under the arrangement, trade and shipment details are now shared digitally in advance, giving customs officers time to assess risks and prepare for incoming consignments.
Pakistan Single Window (PSW) played a central role in making this exchange possible. The organization upgraded Pakistan Customs’ WeBOC system to ensure that the shared data could be used directly by customs officers during routine operations. Officials say the changes have already helped speed up customs declarations, improve risk profiling, and cut down the time goods spend waiting at border points.
Trade experts note that pre-arrival information is increasingly becoming a standard tool worldwide to reduce congestion at borders. By allowing customs authorities to review documents ahead of time, such systems help identify high-risk shipments early while clearing low-risk cargo more quickly.
The Pakistan-Uzbekistan integration is the first of several similar data-sharing arrangements Pakistan plans to roll out with other regional partners. It also supports Pakistan’s commitments under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, which focuses on improving trade facilitation, customs cooperation, and digital connectivity across the region.
For Pakistan, the move strengthens its trade links with Central Asia and supports broader efforts to build reliable digital trade corridors connecting South Asia with neighboring markets. For Uzbekistan, it offers better visibility of shipments and more predictable cross-border trade procedures.
Officials from Pakistan Customs, Pakistan Single Window, and the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan have described the launch as a result of close technical and institutional cooperation. They say the initiative also contributes to the longer-term goal of aligning border management systems among CAREC member countries.
