Pakistan Approves ITTMS Project for Border Trade Enhancement with Afghanistan and Central Asian Countries
Islamabad:The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has approved the establishment of an International Trade and Transit Management System (ITTMS) at key border crossings including Torkham, Chaman, and Wagah. This initiative, backed by the Asian Development Bank, aims to boost regional trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. The National Logistics Cell (NLC) has been tasked with constructing the state-of-the-art facilities.
The Torkham Transit Terminal project, launched in 2019, is now in its final stages. Once completed, the ITTMS system will significantly expedite customs clearance processes by shifting from manual procedures to automated scanning, enhancing the speed and efficiency of cargo vehicle clearances. According to Chief Collector Customs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khawaja Khurram Naeem, this modern system will double clearance capacity, resulting in increased trade volume with both Afghanistan and Central Asia.
With the new system, customs will be linked with 77 different national agencies via a “one-window” system, streamlining trade processes. NLC officials confirmed that despite construction delays due to high traffic and limited space, the terminal will be completed within the next three months and handed over to customs authorities. The terminal will accommodate over 500 cargo vehicles at a time.
In terms of trade growth, reports suggest that Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan were valued at $11.59 million in 2023, and the Torkham project is expected to increase exports by 37%. Additionally, the new terminal is anticipated to improve security by facilitating pedestrian movement across the border, with an average of 10,000 people crossing daily. The implementation of the online registration system is expected to further streamline cross-border travel between Peshawar, Islamabad, and Afghanistan.
