Business Recorder
KARACHI: Pakistan has secured a landmark victory in international trade governance, winning a seat on the World Customs Organisation’s (WCO) Policy Commission for the 2026–2028 term, the first such representation in the country’s nearly 70-year membership of the global body. According to the details, the election took place during the Regional Heads of Customs Administrations (RHCA) meeting for the Asia Pacific region, held in Hong Kong from May 18 to 20, where six candidates competed for five available seats. Pakistan emerged successful in what officials described as a highly competitive contest. The nomination is expected to receive formal approval at the WCO Council Session in June 2026. The WCO Policy Commission serves as the organisation’s principal strategic forum, steering international customs policy on issues ranging from trade facilitation and digital transformation to enforcement cooperation and governance reform. Pakistan’s absence from this body, despite being a founding-era member since 1955, had long been considered a significant gap in the country’s international institutional footprint. This is one of the most significant international achievements of Pakistan Customs in recent decades, officials at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said, crediting nearly two years of sustained diplomatic outreach for the outcome. The path to victory was far from sudden. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the WCO, Syed Asad Raza Rizvi, spearheaded a methodical campaign of regional consultations and diplomatic engagement across Asia Pacific member administrations, the efforts that intensified following the establishment of Pakistan Customs’ permanent mission to the WCO at the Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels in September 2023. That Brussels mission proved to be a turning point, significantly bolstering Pakistan’s visibility and credibility within the WCO framework and helping position the country as a serious contender for the Policy Commission seat. Pakistan’s candidature also drew heavily on its record of domestic customs modernization, particularly the Pakistan Single Window (PSW), a digital trade facilitation platform that has attracted growing international attention. On the sidelines of the RHCA meeting, PSW representatives Naveed Abbas Memon and Salman Chaudhry were specially invited to present Pakistan’s single window model, its digital integration architecture, and broader modernisation framework to participating member administrations. The presentation was met with considerable appreciation, spotlighting Pakistan’s progress in cross-border data integration and customs digitalization. The two representatives also signed a Valid AP Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with Hong Kong Customs, aimed at enhancing interoperability and data exchange frameworks across the Asia Pacific region. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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