Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has expressed concern that despite significant digital reforms, the country’s import and export trade is being hampered by unnecessary mandatory inspections, leading to persistent delays in clearance.
FPCCI President, Atif Ikram Sheikh, on Monday, while appreciating the government’s progress, lauded the Prime Minister’s vision for the digital transformation plan. He mentioned positive developments such as the pre-arrival facility, faceless assessment, and post-payment mechanism aimed at facilitating trade.
However, he stressed that although most regulatory trade is now being conducted through the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) involving major Other Government Agencies (OGAs), a key challenge remains. Mr. Sheikh demanded that agencies like the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) must activate functional Risk Management Systems (RMS) equivalent to the systems used by Customs.
The implementation of effective RMS in these government agencies is considered crucial for further streamlining trade processes. According to FPCCI, this would significantly reduce unnecessary physical checks, shorten shipment clearance duration, also known as dwell time, and ultimately promote ease of doing business in Pakistan.