By digitizing Pakistan’s cross-border trade and eliminating paper-based manual processes, the Pakistan Single Window, led by Pakistan Customs, intends to reduce the time and cost of conducting business. Under the provisions of the Pakistan Single Window Act, 2021, the Federal Government has recognized the PSWC, a public sector business constituted under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017 by Pakistan Customs, as the ‘Operating Entity’ of the PSW system. PSW intends to create an integrated electronic platform that allows parties participating in international trade and transportation to submit standardized information and documents through a single point of entry to meet all regulatory criteria for import, export, and transit.
Section 3(3) of the PSW Act 2021 makes it mandatory for Customs and Other Government Agencies (OGAs) listed in the Act’s schedule to harmonize their respective laws, regulations, procedures, processes, and other information requirements related to regulation of imports, exports, transit trade, and associated transport with Pakistan Single Window in order to ensure the PSW system’s maximum benefits to traders and public sector regulators.
Functions
- Using technology and new solutions to make it easier to comply with national legislation, particularly in the case of cross-border trade and related services.
- Establish a single electronic platform to effectively meet requirements for import, export, and transit trade regulation, as well as to assist the simplification, harmonization, and digitalization of related processes to increase ease of doing business and compliance.
- Create one-of-a-kind digital solution that transform people, businesses, and communities in order to foster a high-performance trading environment, increase economic growth, and eventually empower people
- Establish a more agile organization that effects transformative change in the trade community and the world, think creatively and take creative risks.
- Reduce trade transaction time and costs for traders while outperforming regional norms in cross-border trading
- Increase Pakistan’s global ranking by at least 25% in cross-border trade-related measures
- Assist Pakistan in complying with the relevant terms of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, particularly Article 10.4.
Governing Act
Pakistan Single Window Act, 2021
Governance and Business Model
Subscription
Subscription is the first step that authorizes users to get access to the PSW platform to avail cross-border trade and transit related services. This includes registration with Customs for clearance and Other Government Authorities (OGAs) for issuance of regulatory licenses, permits, certificates and other documents as well as electronic payments.
Elimination of EIF and EFE
Pakistan Single Window has eliminated the ‘Electronic Import Form (EIF)’ and ‘Electronic Form-E (EFE)’ for clearing import and export consignments in Pakistan. This has simplified the bank remittance process for international trade and transit.
- In The PSW Portal > Registration
“Associate the New Profile” under the “Banks” section to associate (link) a banking profile with your profile in PSW.
- Select Your Bank
Enter a valid IBAN, your registered email and Mobile number and Submit your Banking Profile for verification by AD through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
- Create Your Import/Export Declaration
Select your Bank.
- Associate Your Financial Instrument (Letter of Credit, Advance Payment, Contract/Collection Modes of Payment for Import/Export)
The Bank will communicate details of import/export transaction financial instruments through EDI with PSW as per authorized payment modes allowed by bank in banking profile.
- No Financial Instrument is Required for ‘Open Account’ Import/Export
For Import warranting ‘Cash Margin’ requirement, simply approach your Bank who will communicate the fulfillment of requirement through EDI to PSW.
- Clearance Of Goods and Settlement of Remittance
Settlement of Financial Instrument is done by bank after clearance of goods.
The User Manual for Single Declaration
This manual provides an all-in-one solution for online application filling and processing:
- It meets all DPP’s requirements for processing Import Permit(s) and Export Certificates (s).
- The trader/custom agent will be able to see a complete and detailed trail of the activity on the trader’s online request for an Import Permit or Export Certificate in the system.
- The DPP will be equipped with a Dynamic User Management System (UMS) to guarantee proper performance monitoring against agreed-upon performance benchmarks and key performance metrics.
- The PSW system will be used to communicate between the officer and the trader/custom agent.
- The module facilitates trade regulation compliance through the system, which relies on the selection of an HS code/Product Code based description and import purpose and through automation of LPCO (License, Permits, Certificates and Others) processing, it is allowed to clear consignments from the port efficiently.
- It promotes digital transactions as they save time and money by allowing LPCO fees to be paid online. Lastly, ITMS-based product codes provide clarity and precision in assessing LPCO requirements for commodities being imported or exported.
DPP User Manual for Traders and Customs Agent
This manual provides an all-in-one solution for online application filling and processing:
- It meets all DPP’s requirements for processing Import Permit(s) and Export Certificates (s).
- The trader/custom agent will be able to see a complete and detailed trail of the activity on the trader’s online request for an Import Permit or Export Certificate in the system.
- The DPP will be equipped with a Dynamic User Management System (UMS) to guarantee proper performance monitoring against agreed-upon performance benchmarks and key performance metrics.
- The PSW system will be used to communicate between the officer and the trader/custom agent.
- The module facilitates trade regulation compliance through the system, which relies on the selection of an HS code/Product Code based description and import purpose and through automation of LPCO (License, Permits, Certificates and Others) processing, it is allowed to clear consignments from the port efficiently.
- It promotes digital transactions as they save time and money by allowing LPCO fees to be paid online. Lastly, ITMS-based product codes provide clarity and precision in assessing LPCO requirements for commodities being imported or exported.