Ayesha Saba

In a groundbreaking development for Pakistan's trade landscape, Pakistan Single Window (PSW) has emerged as a pivotal solution to address the longstanding challenges posed by a convoluted regulatory system. Talking about the development, Dr Ghualm Samad, a senior trade economist and an expert in international trade and commerce, told WealthPK that the PSW would prove to be a game-changer by reshaping the very essence of how trade functions in the country. He added that the PSW stood out as one of the most transformative initiatives in the public sector in recent years. “Its objective goes beyond the digitisation of Pakistan's cross-border trade, as it catalyses comprehensive procedural and regulatory reforms within customs and other government agencies. These reforms are strategically designed to reduce the time and cost of doing business, bolstering Pakistan's trade competitiveness on the global stage.”

He highlighted the significant hurdles that businesses faced in Pakistan's trade environment, attributing them to a complex and fragmented regulatory system characterised by over 50 government agencies, each wielding its own set of rules. “This multitude of agencies resulted in compliance becoming an onerous task for businesses, with outdated, manual, paper-based processes exacerbating delays, errors, and corruption issues. By consolidating multiple agencies into a single platform, it simplifies trade processes,” he said. “The PSW has revolutionised trade in Pakistan as the introduction of automation and digitisation has ushered in greater efficiency and transparency, markedly reducing errors and expediting trade procedures,” he explained. “These technological advancements not only minimise errors but also significantly expedite procedures, marking a departure from the cumbersome manual and paper-based processes that were prone to delays,” he opined.

“This shift towards a more technologically driven approach is a crucial step in aligning Pakistan's trade operations with global best practices,” Samad elaborated. Syed Aftab Haider, the PSW Chief Executive Officer, said recently, the PSW had achieved a major milestone in trade facilitation by connecting to the International Plant Protection Convention’s e-Phyto Hub and exchanged e-phyto certificates with around 100 nations, including key trading allies like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Oman, the United States, Indonesia, Madagascar, Singapore and Germany. “This integration represents a notable advancement for the PSW, showcasing its capability to seamlessly integrate with international platforms for the exchange of data.”

Haider added that by becoming part of the hub, the PSW has taken the first step towards the elimination of paper certificates across the international supply chain – a natural spillover to the digitisation of trade processes and documents within Pakistan finally. The PSW is an initiative of the federal government launched in 2017 with a focus on transforming the trade and industry ecosystem. The platform allows parties involved in trade and transport to file standardised information and documents at a single entry point for all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

Credit: INP-WealthPk