Minister hails Pakistan’s accession to TIR Convention

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce Eng Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Thursday that the accession to TIR Convention (Customs convention on transportation of goods) by Pakistan became at the most auspicious occasion as work on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was underway and prospects of enhancing trade with Iran after lifting of sanctions seemed a perceptible reality.
He made these remarks in a seminar organised by the Ministry of Commerce ‘Pakistan’s recent accession to TIR Convention and its Implementation in Pakistan’. The seminar was attended by officials from Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Communications, Planning Commission and Pakistan National Committee of International Chambers of Commerce.
Pakistan’s federal cabinet had granted approval to Islamabad’s accession to TIR convention in its meeting held under chairmanship of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on last Monday.
It is relevant to mention here that sufficient safeguards under Articles 45, 57 and 58 of TIR Convention which can be invoked if India accedes to TIR Convention and Pakistan is not willing to give it transit rights.
However, speakers at the occasion highlighted the opportunities and challenges which arose as a result of Pakistan’s recent accession to the TIR Convention.
In his inaugural address, the minister said that Pakistan’s geopolitical location in the heart of main North-South and East-West corridors has made this region a natural bridge between Asia and Europe via its transport communications. He said that Pakistan offered optimum access to the land-locked Central Asian Republics-TIR Community to the Arabian Sea and beyond which will tremendously increase the transit and trade opportunity for Pakistan.
Replying to a question the minister said that accession to the TIR Convention would provide a great opportunity for Pakistani trucking and freight industry to upgrade and expand its fleet as TIR provides some minimum specifications for the trucks which could move under the TIR Carnet.
He said that accession to TIR Convention would create new TIR corridors, linking Central and South Asia as well as China with Turkey and Europe which in turn will enhance Pakistan’s connectivity in the region.
Pakistan’s special envoy at UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi presented accession to TIR documents on July 20, 2015. On 21st July this year, the United Nations accepted Pakistan’s Instrument of Accession to the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods (TIR Convention). The Convention will enter into force for Pakistan on 21st January 2016, six months after its acceptance by the UN.
In his address, Tariq M Rangoonwala, Chairman Pakistan National Committee of International Chambers of Commerce said that TIR system had six core pillars: secure vehicles or containers, international guarantee chain, TIR Carnet, reciprocal recognition of customs control, controlled access by Customs and International Road Transport Union and TIR IT risk management tools.