ISLAMABAD - Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said Tuesday that comprehensive measures were being taken to improve and upgrade customs procedures in Pakistan in line with international standards.

The Minister was talking to visiting Secretary General, World Customs Organization (WCO), Kunio Mikuriya who called on him here Tuesday. Dar said that the government has also taken steps for the facilitation of cross-border and regional trade.

Welcoming the visiting dignitary, Minister Dar stated that Pakistan had a long standing relationship with the WCO and we would continue to play an active role in further strengthening it. He apprised the Secretary General about the measures being taken to improve and upgrade customs procedures in Pakistan in line with international standards. He also shared with him steps being taken for facilitation of border / regional trade and said that regional integration was a priority of the government.

He said Pakistan fully supported all measures for enhancing regional connectivity and cooperation and, promotion of  regional trade was a major area in this regard. Referring to CASA 1000, TAPI and the Integrated Transit and Trade Management System Projects, he said that these initiatives would further integrate the Pakistan economy with the region.

Minister Dar shared with the visiting diginitary an overview of Pakistan's economy and said that having achieved macroeconomic stability, the government was now fully focused on higher, sustainable and inclusive economic growth. He also shared with the Secretary General government's efforts for improving the ease of doing business through trade and investment facilitation.

Secretary General WCO, Kunio Mikuriya stated that Pakistan's active participation in the WCO was highly appreciated. He suggested that Pakistan should post permanent representative at the WCO headquarter to further augment this participation.

The Secretary General said that the improvement in system of Customs in Pakistan in the recent years was very visible and impressive . He said his organization would like to enhance cooperation with Pakistan especially in the areas of capacity building and further improvement of the systems in line with WCO guidelines.

Both sides expressed agreement on having greater Pak-World Customs Organization cooperation and linkages in the future.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue, Haroon Akhtar Khan, Chairman FBR, Tariq Mahmood Pasha, senior officials of Ministry of Finance attended the meeting.