Humayun warns against forgery in quota system: ELVIS launched
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 11: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Friday warned those unscrupulous elements who tamper with quota system by resorting to fake licenses and even by forging the officially issued quota licenses.
While inaugurating the Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) for the transmission of visas for textile quota to the US customs through electronic means the minister said that now such malpractices will be detected instantly through the system.
He further said that the quota management policy of the government provided severe penalties to those found guilty of tampering with quota licenses and hoped that the system would totally eliminate such malpractices.
The minister said that the system would not only be monitoring textile quota licensing and shipments but it would also help exporter to know about quota-fill positions, especially towards the end of quota year.
Before this system, he said, the reconciliation of data of quota with US customs was not possible which created uncertainties about the actual utilization of quotas at any given time.
It was the most appropriate thing, the minister said, to take recourse to electronic data interchange that helps instant reconciliation and precise determination of the quotas used and the quantities remaining available for licensing.
He remind the exporters about the upcoming fierce competition in international trade in textiles and clothing in the post-MFA period.
In the new competitive global environment, the minister said only those would survive who were able to offer better quality textile products, in time delivery and competitive prices through economizing on cost of production.
He urged upon the exporters to re-double their efforts in increasing their production, upgrading their quality and improve their marketing.
The US Consul General, John Bauman, speaking on the occasion said that the United State was the biggest trading partner of Pakistan and enjoyed favourably trade balance of $1.56 billion which came to three times in value of the imports made from US.
He hoped that bilateral trade ties would grow further in coming days. He said the ELVIS was first introduced in 1991, and Pakistan was 12th country to install it to monitor the quota licensing.
Mr. Bauman said the system was arranged for export by the US and Pakistan government to ensure transparency in the issuance and use of textile quota. It will also help to reconcile the entire data from both the sides, he added.
The minister of state and chairman Export Promotion Bureau Tariq Ikram said that though the system may not be needed for the purpose of management of quotas after 2004, when quotas will be abolished but it will be available for any further use afterwards.
In case the visa arrangement continues thereafter, he said the system would be useful in clearance of our textile consignments to the US.
Tariq Ikram thanked Girish Bodas of Sandler Travis and Rosenberg for the installation of the system which brings the EPB online with the US customs service.
