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
PM Sharif calls on Pakistan, UAE to enhance cooperation in trade and investment
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets UAE Ambassador Salem Mohammed Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi
- Sharif invites collaboration with UAE in energy, minerals, IT, railways and aviation sectors, says PMO
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called on Pakistan and the UAE to enhance their trade, economic and investment relations, inviting investment from the Gulf country in Pakistan’s priority sectors.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment for the South Asian country. In May 2024, the UAE committed to investing $10 billion in Pakistan’s economic sectors in the coming years.
Sharif met UAE Ambassador Salem Mohammed Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi at the Prime Minister House on Tuesday where the two sides discussed bilateral relations and economic ties, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
“Expressing his satisfaction at the volume of bilateral trade between the two sides, the Prime Minister further highlighted the need for both sides to focus on enhancing economic ties, trade, investment opportunities, and collaboration in areas such as energy, minerals, IT, railways and aviation,” the statement said.
Sharif also invited increased UAE investments in key sectors to support Pakistan’s economic growth and stability, the PMO said.
The Pakistani prime minister acknowledged the UAE’s consistent support for Pakistan “in times of need,” acknowledging the country’s humanitarian assistance and developmental projects.
Al Zaabi thanked the Pakistani premier for extending him a warm welcome, the PMO said.
“He reaffirmed the UAE’s firm resolve and keen interest to deepen its partnership with Pakistan across all spheres and assured the Prime Minister that he would work hard to explore new avenues for cooperation that would benefit both nations,” the statement concluded.
