Pakistan, Uzbekistan Agree to Expand Digital Customs Cooperation

*ISLAMABAD:* Pakistan Customs has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional customs cooperation and promoting secure, technology-driven trade facilitation by participating in the 11th Policy-Level Meeting of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) Passenger and Cargo Control Programme/International Regional Exchange Network (PCCP/IREN) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

According to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the Pakistani delegation was led by Member Customs (Operations) Syed Shakeel Shah and included Director General Reforms and Automation Pakistan Customs Muhammad Imran Khan Mohmand.

The meeting brought together senior customs officials from across the region to discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation for secure, seamless and technology-enabled trade. Key areas of discussion included mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programmes, mutual acceptance of regulatory documents, wider use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based risk management and data analytics, and stronger public-private partnerships to facilitate legitimate trade while combating cross-border illicit activities.

The participating customs administrations also agreed to establish dedicated technical working groups to draft protocols in these priority areas, paving the way for greater digital integration, regulatory cooperation and more efficient regional trade and transit.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Pakistani delegation held bilateral talks with the First Deputy Chairman of the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan to review ongoing cooperation and explore opportunities to expand collaboration in national targeting centres, transit cargo tracking, AI and machine learning-based risk management, customs digitalization, intelligence-led enforcement and customs information exchange.

During the meeting, Member Customs (Operations) Syed Shakeel Shah highlighted that Uzbekistan is the first country with which Pakistan has established a system for the exchange of advance customs information for both imports and exports through the Pakistan Single Window (PSW), marking a significant milestone in digital customs cooperation. Building on this achievement, both sides agreed to explore extending the existing digital connectivity to include the exchange of transit trade information.

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral customs cooperation through enhanced digital connectivity, coordinated border management, the exchange of best practices and the adoption of advanced customs technologies. These initiatives are expected to improve supply chain security, facilitate legitimate trade and promote greater regional economic integration.