FBR and PSW have entered into a transformative partnership. This agreement, signed earlier this week, designates PSW as the official technology partner of FBR, responsible for the operation, maintenance, enhancement, and transformation of the Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) system, which is integral to the country’s customs clearance process.
This strategic collaboration represents a major leap in Pakistan’s journey to modernize its customs operations, a crucial move that will streamline cross-border trade and improve efficiency at the nation’s borders. The partnership will enable Pakistan to enhance its customs clearance capabilities by upgrading WeBOC, ensuring it meets international standards and best practices, aligning it with the broader goals of trade facilitation, transparency, and regulatory efficiency.
PSW has already been making strides in the digitalization of cross-border trade, and plays a pivotal role in this initiative. PSW operates a unified digital platform that facilitates smoother trade processes by integrating the information requirements of 15 key government agencies, which include customs, agriculture, health, and others. Since its inception, PSW has made remarkable progress in digitizing the country’s cross-border trade ecosystem, ensuring seamless connectivity between these agencies, and helping businesses engage with multiple governmental bodies through a single interface.
PSW has been managing the WeBOC system since 2022, ensuring its functionality and assisting Pakistan Customs in implementing various reform initiatives. One such initiative includes the faceless customs assessment system, launched recently in Karachi. This initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of a transparent, efficient, and simplified customs framework. The faceless system minimizes human interaction, reducing the chances of corruption and errors, making it a crucial part of Pakistan’s broader digital transformation agenda.
With the new agreement, PSW will take on an even more significant role in transforming the WeBOC system, modernizing its technical and functional architecture. This partnership will focus on upgrading the system with state-of-the-art technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to minimize human intervention and official discretion, making customs operations more efficient and less prone to errors or delays. These advancements will enable the system to handle complex data analysis more effectively, thus speeding up clearance times and facilitating faster movement of goods across borders.
The new phase of the WeBOC system will be a next-generation Customs Clearance System that will ensure Pakistan is not only adhering to global standards but also enhancing the overall experience for businesses and trade operators. The system’s ability to process customs information seamlessly and efficiently will boost the competitiveness of Pakistan’s trade sector, attracting foreign investment and encouraging smoother international business relationships.
As part of this collaboration, PSW and FBR aim to make the customs clearance process fully digital, automated, and integrated, which will result in significant cost savings and reduced paperwork for businesses. This initiative will also help streamline trade documentation, minimize delays, and improve Pakistan’s ease of doing business index by simplifying the regulatory process for cross-border transactions.
This partnership also marks a significant achievement in the federal government’s broader agenda of digitizing government services. By adopting cutting-edge technologies such as AI and ML in customs operations, Pakistan is taking a bold step towards creating a more modern, transparent, and efficient trade ecosystem.
In conclusion, this agreement between FBR and PSW to enhance the WeBOC system is a promising development for the future of Pakistan’s customs operations. It represents not only a major leap forward in the digitalization of customs clearance but also a commitment to improving trade efficiency, boosting Pakistan’s competitiveness in global markets, and fostering an environment conducive to economic growth and development. As this transformation unfolds, it will undoubtedly have far-reaching benefits for businesses, the economy, and the entire trade community in Pakistan.
