ISLAMABAD: Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged exporters to file goods declarations (GDs) on time and complete documentation to avoid delays in clearing textile consignments.
Chairing a meeting on issues faced by textile exporters at ports, attended by representatives of the export industry, port authorities, Customs, relevant government departments and other stakeholders, the minister called for closer coordination among them to address clearance delays and improve the predictability of transit times for textile exports.
Customs and port authorities briefed the meeting on the existing clearance procedures and the time taken at different stages. Participants stressed the need for closer coordination among Customs, port authorities, terminal operators, traders and other stakeholders to improve operational efficiency.
The meeting also reviewed consignments selected for scanning. It was observed that scanning should be scheduled efficiently to avoid unnecessary delays while maintaining regulatory and security requirements.
The minister directed the Customs authorities to review the scanning process, identify causes of delays and work with relevant stakeholders to streamline operations.
He also called for greater use of the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) and advance electronic processing to facilitate clearance before, or immediately upon, cargo arrival.
The minister further directed the authorities to examine existing procedures and identify opportunities to reduce processing time through digitalisation, advance filing and improved coordination among Customs, exporters, shipping lines, port operators and PSW stakeholders.
The exporters also raised concerns over longer transit times caused by disruptions to international shipping routes, particularly those linked to the situation in the Red Sea.
The meeting noted that route changes and longer vessel journeys had created additional challenges for shipments.