Pakistan to audit customs clearance systems amid reports of glitches, manipulation

The Pakistan government will conduct a system audit of the WeBOC (Web-Based Computerized Clearance System) application and the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) to evaluate glitches and issues that have occurred over the past two to three years.

CEO PSW Aftab Haider on Wednesday also confirmed that some technical glitches occurred in the system before the start of this year. However, he ruled out any revenue losses from the technical glitches.

The system had lacked proper validation since 2015, allowing some users to manipulate the WeBOC system, he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also ordered an inquiry when it emerged that there had been large-scale tampering of Goods Declaration (GD) forms through a breach in the country’s customs clearance system.

The scam involved the alteration of more than 10,000 GD forms by modifying quantities and descriptions of imported goods, allegedly to evade billions of rupees in duties. The manipulations occurred at dry ports and exploited a previously undetected vulnerability in the WeBOC system.

He also clarified that there were no technical glitches involved in the recently surfaced high-end smuggled vehicle scam; rather, someone had misused a user’s login credentials.

The CEO PSW also informed that the Federal Board of Revenue is working on integrating scanners, which will help consolidate data in a centralized system.

Haider also said that PSW had been established to facilitate cross border trade by streamlining and reducing the movement time through digitalization and eliminating human interaction as much as possible. Currently, around 23 government departments and 29 banks are in the PSW system, all of which are interlinked, facilitating stakeholders including traders and truckers who have to wait for hours to load containers at the ports.

He also disclosed that the prime minister is set to launch ‘Portverse’ maritime one window system during the first week of August in Karachi. It is a digital platform that facilitates information exchange and collaboration among stakeholders in a port community.

It acts as a central hub, enabling efficient and secure data sharing between various entities like customs, port authorities, shipping lines, and freight forwarders. By streamlining communication and automating processes, it aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and security in port operations and global trade.

The CEO expressed optimism that the new system would help in reducing clearance time at ports from 52 hours to just 12 hours.