ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday stressed the importance of utilizing artificial intelligence to further enhance the newly installed Faceless Customs Assessment System at Karachi Port, a move aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in customs operations.
Sharif inaugurated the system, installed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s tax collection agency, during a daylong visit to the southern metropolis on Wednesday.
Launched as a pilot project in December 2024, the system seeks to streamline customs clearance by minimizing human interaction, reducing clearance times and improving trade facilitation.
The prime minister met with the chief collector of customs in Karachi Zone, Jameel Nasir, praising him and his team for their efforts in implementing the system.
“The Faceless Customs Assessment System has significantly improved transparency, efficiency and service delivery in customs operations,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office following the meeting.
The statement added that he “emphasized the need to incorporate advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to make the system world-class and foolproof.”
The initiative marks a step in the government’s broader strategy to digitize its tax collection, a key condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of its $7 billion loan program.
The government plans to expand the system to other ports and border stations across the country in the coming months.
The prime minister announced a reward of Rs15 million ($54,000) for Nasir and his team, acknowledging their dedication to the project.
“This system is a major milestone and will play a crucial role in Pakistan’s economic development,” he continued, adding that it aligned with the government’s vision of fostering a business- and investor-friendly environment.
Pakistan has been actively working to modernize its port facilities to transform the country into a transit trade hub.
The government has also extended an invitation to landlocked Central Asian nations to use its ports for access to global sea lanes, a move expected to enhance regional trade connectivity.
Pakistan PM calls for AI integration to strengthen faceless customs system in Karachi
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Pakistan PM calls for AI integration to strengthen faceless customs system in Karachi
- Sharif inaugurated the system Wednesday to increase transparency, minimize human interaction
- The initiative also aims at digitizing the tax collection system and reduce clearance time at the port
Pakistan, Muslim countries reject Israel’s plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza
- Israel has announced plans to open the Rafah crossing with Egypt for Gaza residents fleeing the enclave
- Muslim nations seek implementation of Trump’s peace plan, establishment of independent Palestinian state
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, together with seven other Arab and Muslim countries, on Friday rejected Israel’s attempt to expel Palestinians by opening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt solely for fleeing Gaza residents, and called for adherence to the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump’s Gaza plan calls on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the territory and keep the Rafah crossing open from both sides.
However, Israel has continued to restrict aid flows, and its military said on Wednesday the crossing would open in the coming days “exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt.”
“The Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar express their deep concern regarding the Israeli statements concerning the opening of the Rafah Crossing in one direction, with the aim of transferring residents of the Gaza Strip into the Arab Republic of Egypt,” said the joint statement circulated in Pakistan by the foreign office.
“The Ministers underscore their absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land and stress the necessity of the full adherence to the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, including its provisions on keeping the Rafah Crossing open in both directions, ensuring the freedom of movement for the population, and refraining from compelling any resident of the Gaza Strip to leave,” it continued.
The statement appreciated the US president’s commitment to establishing peace in the region and emphasized the importance of implementing his plan “without delay or obstruction” to help consolidate regional stability.
“The Ministers underscore the need to fully sustain the ceasefire, alleviate civilian suffering, ensure the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, initiate early recovery and reconstruction efforts, and create the conditions necessary for the Palestinian Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip,” the statement added.
They reaffirmed their countries’ readiness to work with the United States and all concerned regional and international actors to achieve “a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace in accordance with international legitimacy and the two-state solution,” including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Pakistan’s foreign office circulated the statement after Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss regional developments, particularly Gaza.
Dar condemned Israel’s plan to partially reopen the Rafah crossing only for fleeing Gaza residents, calling it a “clear violation” of the region’s peace plan.
