KARACHI: Pakistan will enter Amazon’s approved sellers list before next month, the commerce ministry has said, warning the nation’s sellers they would be blacklisted not only by Amazon but also within the country if found guilty of fraudulent activity.
The ministry has been working with the global e-commerce giant since June 2020 to have sellers from the South Asian nation included in its network which already covers 102 countries. To date, Pakistani users have sold their products on Amazon through shadow accounts registered in other countries.
“Listing of Pakistan at Amazon is just a matter of 3 to 4 days,” Aisha Humera, a spokesperson for the ministry of commerce, told Arab News on Wednesday. “Will be done before June.”
She added: “At present we are working on our procedures, including changes in the foreign exchange manual of the State bank of Pakistan.”
Humera said Pakistan’s Amazon entry will come with zero tolerance for fraud.
“We are coordinating with Amazon and any seller, if found guilty of fraud etc., will not only be blocked but also be blacklisted in Pakistan so that they could not work with any other company for tarnishing the image of Pakistan,” she said. “The sellers will have only one chance to get connected with 300 million customers at a single click. If anyone wastes this opportunity by doing anything wrong, Amazon will block that seller and there will be no second chance.”
While businesses can use couriers of their choice, the ministry has proposed that state-owned Pakistan Post set up dedicated desks for the export of small parcels at it has over 13,000 offices across the country. The commerce ministry had also proposed that Pakistan Post be integrated with the country’s Web Based One Customs (WeBOC) to facilitate Amazon sellers under business-to-consumer (B2C) cross border mechanisms.
It is also trying to have the post office offer competitive rates to e-commerce businesses, especially small and medium enterprises.
“The Ministry of commerce is engaging Pakistan Post in this initiative to give competitive rates to the sellers,” Humera said. “If they had to deliver the goods to the warehouses of Amazon for instance in Dubai, US or Canada, they should get good rates.”
Pakistan to enter Amazon’s sellers list this month — commerce ministry
https://arab.news/juz6v
Pakistan to enter Amazon’s sellers list this month — commerce ministry
- Ministry says instances of fraud would result in companies being blacklisted not only by Amazon but also within Pakistan
- State-run Pakistan Post urged to facilitate e-commerce with dedicated desks, offer “competitive rates” for small and medium businesses
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
