Chief Collector Customs Appraisement Wajid Ali has assured the business community that newly installed scanning facilities will reduce physical cargo examinations, improve clearance times, and prevent recurring backlogs at Karachi’s terminals. He emphasized the need for better coordination among Customs, terminal operators, and the trade to facilitate effective operations.

At an interactive meeting with the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Wajid Ali explained that the scanners are intended to minimize unnecessary physical examinations, in collaboration with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He also mentioned strengthening risk management to avoid cargo backlogs.

Wajid Ali stressed the importance of direct interaction with the business community to understand their daily challenges, noting that these issues may not always emerge from internal meetings. He appreciated KCCI’s professional handling of concerns and acknowledged that prompt resolutions benefit businesses and enhance overall trade facilitation.

He highlighted the need for clearly defined timelines and performance benchmarks in Customs processes and agreed that current practices should align with international standards. Furthermore, regarding the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism, he mentioned that relevant laws had been amended to expedite dispute resolution.

Former President KCCI Zubair Motiwala, joining via Zoom, commended Customs leadership for being responsive but emphasized the need for defined timelines and greater automation to further streamline processes.

President KCCI Rehan Hanif welcomed Chief Collector Wajid Ali, praising his approachability and responsiveness regarding business concerns. He noted that KCCI had no significant complaints about Customs operations but suggested improvements, including increasing the number of Additional Collectors of Customs (ADCs) to manage workloads more effectively. He also recommended that assigned examination tasks be completed by the same officer to avoid delays.