ISLAMABAD: On Monday, after a 12-year wait, the government presented a bill to the National Assembly to create a land port authority to lower the cost of doing business and make it easier for people and commodities to pass across border crossing points.
On behalf of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced the bill. However, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, the deputy speaker, chose not to forward the measure to the relevant committee.
The establishment of a land port authority under the purview of the ministry of commerce was first attempted in 2012 by the Pakistan Peoples Party government and again in 2021 by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government.
After Bangladesh and India, Pakistan will be the third nation in South Asia to have a land port authority if the law is approved. India established the Bangladesh Land Port Authority in March 2012, although Bangladesh did it in 2002.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar have been selected by India to install integrated checkpoints (ICPs) at all points of entrance and departure. An ICP between India and Pakistan has already been established at the Waga border.
According to the law, the organization—which would be called as the Pakistan Land Port Authority—would serve as a statutory authority in charge of interagency coordination to make it easier for people and commodities to travel across border crossing points.
In order to advance commerce, encourage open competition, establish border control, and safeguard the nation’s strategic interests, it will offer a framework for the declaration, regulation, security, and supervision of all land ports.
In order to fulfill its obligations under international agreements and conventions for increased land port efficiency and regional port competitiveness, the proposed authority will set up a strong framework for carrying out efficient coordination with border authorities for trade facilitation.
There isn’t a single organization in place right now to manage the operations of different government agencies and service providers at international border crossings.
The movement of passengers and cargo can occasionally be delayed as a result of this lack of coordination. High-tech equipment must be installed at these land ports to prevent smuggling of products and illegal immigration.
According to the bill, the prime minister will form a 16-member governing council to oversee the authority as a whole.
