Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Chief Collector Customs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khawaja Khurram Naeem on Monday said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has approved the establishment of international-standard Integrated Transit Terminal Management Systems (ITTMS) at key trade routes, including the Torkham, Chaman, and Wagah borders.
Khawaja Khurram Naeem, who spoke to Fata Voice News Agency, said the initiative aims to enhance trade with Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and other regional countries. He said the construction work on the ITTMS at Torkham began in 2019 and is now in its final stages.
The chief collector of customs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said the Rs16.6 billion project is being completed with the support of the Asian Development Bank, while the National Logistics Cell (NLC) managed its construction.
Speaking about the project’s significance, Khawaja Khurram Naeem, said the ITTMS was a massive project. He added that earlier, most of the clearance work was handled manually. He said with the ITTMS, all clearance operations would be shifted to digital scanning, significantly speeding up cargo vehicle clearance.
“We expect clearance capacity to double, which will not only boost trade with Afghanistan but also expand trade with Central Asian countries.”Chief collector customs said.
He said the project, initially scheduled for completion in July 2023, faced delays due to congestion and limited space. He said the construction work expected to be completed within the next three months after which it would be handed over to customs authorities.
Khawaja Khurram Naeem said that once the construction work is completed, the terminal will be able to accommodate over 500 cargo vehicles at a time and introduce a one-window system for trade clearance. He said the new trade system will integrate 77 different government agencies and departments with customs to streamline trader processes.
Highlighting the benefits of the state-of-the-art terminal, Khawaja Khurram Naeem added that the project would save time and costs for cargo clearance, enabling traders to increase profits. He further added that during the fiscal year 2023-24, Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan stood at $59.11 million.
He said the Torkham ITTMS is expected to increase exports by 37%, significantly boosting the country’s trade volume with Afghanistan and other regional markets.
The official said the project also includes facilities for pedestrian traffic at the Torkham border, which averages a daily movement of 10,000 individuals.
“The one-window system would also streamline immigration processes, allowing passengers to cross with passports and visas through an online registration system connected to Peshawar and Islamabad”, the official said. Adding that the development would positively impact cross-border relations and the security situation in the region.
He said the terminal would have a heavy truck parking capacity for over 500 vehicles, while the introduction of the one-window system would ensure faster clearance of trade goods. He further added that modern facility guarantees efficiency in the clearance process and promise to be a game-changer for regional trade connectivity.
