Khurram Ijaz says evidence-based evaluation will determine whether post-Faceless Customs reforms are improving efficiency and trade facilitation
KARACHI: Khurram Ijaz, Chairman of the FPCCI Advisory Council on Customs and former Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), has called for an Independent Performance Evaluation (IPE) of Pakistan Customs’ group-less assessment model introduced after the implementation of the Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA) system.
He clarified that the proposal should not be viewed as criticism of the Faceless Customs Assessment initiative, describing FCA as an important reform aimed at improving transparency, integrity and uniformity in customs assessments.
However, he said the simultaneous abolition of sector-specific assessment groups represented a significant structural change whose impact should now be assessed through an objective, evidence-based evaluation.
Calls for international benchmarking
Khurram Ijaz noted that Pakistan adopted a completely group-less assessment model, whereas several major customs administrations have retained sector-based expertise despite embracing digital customs reforms.
He pointed out that India strengthened commodity specialisation after introducing Faceless Assessment by establishing National Assessment Centres (NACs) and Faceless Assessment Groups (FAGs). Similarly, customs authorities in the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Singapore continue to rely on sector-specific expertise for technically complex assessments.
He added that the World Customs Organization (WCO) consistently emphasises professional competence and technical specialisation in areas such as tariff classification, customs valuation and risk management.
According to him, the growing complexity of international trade requires customs officers with specialised knowledge, particularly in sectors such as machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronics.
Proposal for independent evaluation
Khurram Ijaz proposed that Pakistan Customs commission an Independent Performance Evaluation with the support of an internationally recognised institution such as the World Bank, the World Customs Organization (WCO) or the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He said the study should benchmark Pakistan’s group-less assessment model against international best practices and assess whether the reform has delivered measurable improvements.
According to the proposal, the evaluation should examine whether the current system has:
• Reduced customs assessment and cargo dwell times;
• Improved trade facilitation and predictability;
• Enhanced consistency in tariff classification and customs valuation;
• Reduced assessment disputes and litigation;
• Strengthened revenue protection; and
• Improved the quality of assessments for technically complex goods.
Focus on measurable outcomes
Khurram Ijaz observed that recent World Bank trade facilitation frameworks increasingly evaluate customs performance through operational indicators such as customs processing time, cargo dwell time and border efficiency.
He said it is therefore essential to determine whether Pakistan’s structural reforms are producing tangible improvements in customs administration.
“If the independent evaluation confirms that the present group-less model delivers better results, it should be further strengthened,” he said.
“However, if the study identifies opportunities for improvement, Pakistan Customs should consider adopting a hybrid model that combines the transparency of Faceless Assessment with sector-specific specialisation, in line with internationally recognised best practices.”
He emphasised that major customs reforms should be judged on evidence, measurable performance and international benchmarking rather than organisational changes alone.
“The ultimate objective is not merely organisational change, but faster cargo clearance, better trade facilitation, improved technical accuracy and stronger revenue protection for Pakistan,” he concluded.