PSW Integrates Multiple Govt Organizations for Exchange of Data During Clearances of Imports, Exports 

Pakistan Single Window (PSW) has integrated seven big government organizations including provincial revenue authorities and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for exchange of data during clearances of imports and exports.  FBR issued an SRO.2076(I)/2024 on Friday. The PSW notification will be applicable retrospectively from July 1, 2024 on these provincial revenue authorities and provincial tax departments.  The PSW has been fully integrated with banks. Other departments integrated with the PSW include Department of Plant Protection, Animal Quarantine Department, Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority, Marine Fisheries Department; Sindh Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department; Pakistan Mercantile Marine Department, and Export Development Fund.  According to the notification, Pakistan Single Window has specified other government agencies to which the PSW system shall apply including Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP);Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP); Special Technology Zone Authority (STZA);  Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA); Balochistan Revenue Authority (BRA) and Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) from July 1, 2024, SRO.2076 added.  Under the business process reforms of the PSW, 96 paper-based documents have been replaced with electronic verifications under the PSW. According to sources, the government has asked provinces to facilitate the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) to strengthen its outreach to facilitate the trade and business activities across Pakistan. There is a need to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders including provinces and prioritize the security of the system.   The single window does not only automate existing processes but also conducts an extensive business process reengineering exercise to eliminate redundant documents and processes. Under the system all trade-related documents are being standardized and made QR code enabled. Moreover, information requirements are also being harmonized.  Sources stated that the PSW has revised the whole transit trade regime applicable for different countries. Instead of different transit trade regimes for different countries, there should be a uniform cross-border trade procedure to facilitate traders under the transit regime.   The PSW is connected with the “China International Trade Single Window” for future integration and exchange of data between Pakistan and China, eliminating chances of under-invoicing of the imported goods.  Integration between the two single windows will expand the scope of the current data exchange to include full transmission of the Goods Declaration data, phyto-sanitary certificates, certificates of origin, and shipping and logistics data to enable execution of advanced risk management techniques and expeditious clearance of goods.  The importers are free to use any of the notified pre-inspection companies and treatment providers companies for agriculture imports and exports would also be digitized.