LAHORE, Nov 27: A meeting of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and USAID representatives to discuss issues in way of Indo-Pakistan trade was held on Tuesday.

The USAID team was led by Jim Sutton and comprised John Walker, Sardar Humayun and Ahsan Nadeem. The team shared salient features of the USAID trade project that aims for capacity building of Federal Board of Revenue, Customs and other departments concerned to improve regional and cross-border trade, particularly with Afghanistan and India.

Sutton said that the USAID Project aims at improving the customs system by implementing the E-governance system which is universally accepted and recognised by all countries.

USAID team has held meetings with federal minister for commerce and the FBR chairman and both are willing to extend every possible help for the implementation of the system, he added.

The USAID has been working on updating its Wagha Border Assessment Study with a view to catering the expected search in overland trade between India and Pakistan. The updated version of the assessment would provide the latest position covering the movement of freight by road and rail, said Sutton.

Appreciating the USAID project, LCCI president Farooq Iftikhar said that the slow pace of infrastructure development at Wagah has been a matter of grave concern and needs to be expedited.

No proper shed facility exists for Pakistani exporters to secure their valuable consignments while a state-of-the-art computerised weigh bridge has become need of the hour, he informed.

“Pakistani borders lack sufficient infrastructure and modern integrated check-posts and indispensable services while the Customs and border procedures are not ideal for trade facilitation. A one window facility according to international trade practices is essential,” he said.