China trade facilitated by single window system

Implementation of the system is estimated to save Pakistan $430 million, according to the World Bank

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has successfully established electronic connectivity between its single window system and China to exchange trade data, aiming to streamline and facilitate cross-border trade.

Speaking to the Express Tribune, Pakistan Single Window (PSW), CEO, Aftab Haider expressed the organisation’s commitment to integrating international exports and developing use cases for data exchange with China.

PSW is actively supporting the government and Pakistan Customs in facilitating electronic data exchange with partner countries, in line with bilateral agreements on international transit and trade, he said. Haider stated their ambitious goal of becoming one of the top ten single window systems worldwide within the next three years.

Pakistan committed to establishing a Single Window under the Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2017. The first phase of implementation was launched in June 2022, with the aim of digitising cross-border trade processes. PSW leverages private sector expertise to implement this ground-breaking reform initiative.

Apart from customs, 76 other departments are involved in various aspects of cross-border trade. The objective of PSW is to automate all these departments under the electronic single window, reducing the time and cost of cross-border trade. After the rollout of Pakistan’s Single Window system last year, five departments were integrated with customs, and new services, features, and modules continue to be added to the system. Most recently, the Marine Fisheries Department was integrated to facilitate the exports of fish and fish products.

PSW is also collaborating with private sector service providers, integrating pre-shipment inspection companies, laboratories, and fumigation companies into the system to facilitate trade in various sectors. The organisation aims to reduce costs and time, enhance transparency, and provide data visibility in trade regulations. PSW is also focused on data processing capabilities, seeking partnerships with renowned companies to create robust business intelligence and data warehouse capabilities for effective policymaking and trade facilitation.

Additionally, PSW shares data with relevant departments to expedite the clearance process. In July, the organisation plans to launch the Port Community System, connecting all public and private sector stakeholders involved in the port community on a single electronic platform. The system will streamline business-to-government and business-to-business processes, providing exporters with vessel schedules and traffic visibility at the ports, digitising payments, and issuing electronic delivery orders to save time and costs for traders.

The implementation of the single window system is estimated to save Pakistan $430 million, according to the World Bank.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2023.

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