Pakistan Customs officials on Friday said exporters are being extended the same facilitation at Faisalabad Dry Port as available in Karachi under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), urging the business community to fully utilise the system to improve trade efficiency and competitiveness.
Collector of Customs Appraisement Faisalabad Dr Rizwan Basharat made the remarks during an awareness session at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), where he outlined recent reforms aimed at simplifying export procedures and enhancing transparency.
He said modern technology, including an artificial intelligence-based monitoring system, has been introduced to track container movement and record any opening of export containers at dry ports. The system, he said, is designed to improve accountability and reduce unnecessary interference in cargo handling.
Dr Basharat also briefed participants on recent amendments to the EFS framework issued through a statutory regulatory order (SRO), stating that the mandatory utilisation period for imported goods has been extended from nine months to 18 months. The revised rules took effect from March 18 and apply retrospectively to importers already operating under the scheme.
He said the updated mechanism ensures real-time automatic adjustment of imported goods once exports are completed, improving procedural efficiency. He added that restrictions on the timing of export of finished goods produced from imported inputs have been removed, offering exporters greater operational flexibility.
Under the revised rules, EFS licences will now be issued for one year, while any extension beyond 18 months will require approval from the relevant regulatory board.
Earlier, FCCI President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh welcomed the initiative, saying the scheme has significantly improved the competitiveness of Pakistan’s textile exporters. He said the awareness session was organised to help businesses better understand recent regulatory changes and benefit from them.
Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association Chairman Ahmad Afzal Awan suggested that partially completed export consignments should also be promptly adjusted under the scheme once production using imported inputs is completed.
During the interactive session, business representatives including Muzammil Sultan and Arif Ehsan Malik shared concerns and suggestions, while senior FCCI office-bearers and representatives from export associations also attended.
Officials said the government’s broader objective is to streamline export procedures, reduce costs and enhance Pakistan’s export competitiveness through improved regulatory facilitation and technology-driven oversight.