IRU member AIRCUZ, Uzbek Customs and IRU were in Pakistan sharing first hand experiences of Uzbekistan’s TIR implementation and transit progress.
IRU and a delegation from Uzbekistan, with Uzbek Customs and IRU member AIRCUZ, were recently in Pakistan for a series of high level meetings on TIR and transit.
Meeting authorities including Pakistan Customs and IRU member and local TIR issuing and guaranteeing association PNC-ICC (the Pakistan National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce), the delegation also visited Karachi’s port and the Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan.
Due to transport and trade facilitation policies, Uzbekistan has become a model country over recent years in demonstrating the benefits of using TIR. In 2021, AIRCUZ became the third biggest issuer of TIR carnets, after Iran and Turkey, with more than 90,000 carnets.
The meetings in Pakistan focused on simplifying transit and TIR procedures, including on TIR admission of transport operators as well as best practices in using the TIR system at ports and border crossing points and TIR digitalisation.
Recommendations were also provided on transport and transit trade policies and regulations, as well as aligning TIR with existing bilateral transit trade agreements.
IRU met with other key associations including the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, its associate member the Fleet Operators Association of Pakistan, and the Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association. Discussions included current challenges for transport and transit in Pakistan and potential areas of cooperation.
IRU also organised a workshop with CLDP, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program, and PNC-ICC on the role of the TIR system in connecting South Asia to Central Asia.
The workshop looked at the latest developments in international road transport at global and regional levels, as well as the status of TIR implementation in Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The event concluded with recommendations on how to unleash the potential of Pakistan’s international and regional transit and trade through clear actions to drive progress.
