WCO supports trade regularisation in Pakistan, suggests improving Afghan ties

ISLAMABAD: Federal finance minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday assured, Kunio Mikuriya, secretary general, World Customs Organisation (WCO) that steps were being taken for facilitation of border/regional trade.

Kunio Mikuriya had called on finance minister Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday. The visiting secretary general held meetings with FBR chairman, customs authorities, prime minister’s special assistant on Revenues, commerce minister and finance minister.

Dar said measures were being taken to improve/upgrade customs procedures in Pakistan in line with international standards. Both sides expressed agreement for having greater Pak-World Customs Organisation cooperation and linkages.

The visiting secretary general said improvement in system of customs under the present government was very visible and impressive and they would be happy to cooperate with Pakistan for further improvement. A delegation of WCO, led by its secretary general Kunio Mikuriya also called on federal commerce minister Khurram Dastgir Khan. The commerce minister welcomed the delegation.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues of bilateral interest, including technical assistance with regards to counter terrorism and supply chain security, trade facilitation and economic competitiveness, emerging challenges to customs, illicit financial flows, and customs reforms and modernisation.

The commerce minister said, “As per the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, we are making an effort to increase our transit trade area to Central Asian Republics (CARs) and will welcome and appreciate some degree of necessary support from World Customs Organisation to help in either drafting a new agreement or to form some guidelines so that the goods can move across these borders more efficiently.”

Commerce minister Khurram Dastgir Khan informed the delegation that Pakistan has become a member of TIR convention and was still in the implementation stage, but there was need to merge it with the transit trade agreement to facilitate the movement of goods.

The minister further said Pakistan was already a signatory of TFA and was working with all its neighbours for regularisation of trade, minimising tariffs and removing the non-tariff barriers. World Customs Organisation established in 1952, represents 182 Customs administrations around the world (including Pakistan Customs), that collectively process 98 percent of world trade. It provides an important forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between national customs delegates as well as technical assistance and training services.

Besides administrations in combating fraudulent activities and actively supports their endeavours at modernising and building capacity with their national customs administrations. Pakistan Customs is already a part of several World Customs Organisation initiatives, including its Program Global Shield (PGS) and Strategic Trade Control Enforcement (STCE) programme under which Pakistani officers have received extensive trainings.

Kunio Mikuriya said World Customs Organisation would provide its support to Pakistan in regularisation of trade and also suggested that Pakistan the country its trade relations with all its neighbour countries, particularly Afghanistan to play a more significant role in the corridor.

The secretary general also said World Customs Organisation would support Pakistan in harmonising Customs data and for fast information sharing to ensure speedy movement of goods across the borders. Khurram Dastgir suggested further meetings to discuss the transit trade, tariff duties, harmonising of customs data, and installing a system to evaluate the quantum of smuggling.