ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (ABC): Pakistan Single Window (PSW) and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further expand their partnership for trade facilitation through the integration of cross-border business processes. The integration of DRAP systems under PSW would provide the electronic submission, processing and issuance of licenses, imported products including drugs, medical devices, health and over-the-counter products. T
he initiative would also enable to get no objection certificates and other certificates, as prescribed for specified products falling under DRAP’s regulatory jurisdiction. Addressing the ceremony, Chief Executive Officer PSW Syed Aftab Haider said that pharmaceutical industry has been identified as a priority sector by the government due to its size and contribution to the national economy and its potential for exports. Integration with the PSW system will help the pharmaceutical industry to reduce its time and cost of trading across borders by adopting the best practices in customs and regulatory clearances centered around technology and digitization of procedures and information requirements, he added.
The MoU would also help the stakeholders in clearance of pharmaceutical raw materials, products and devices for imports and exports, he said adding that under the initiative, extensive business process reengineering of DRAP’s cross-border trade has been carried out, resulting in the redesign of 31 processes and the digitization of 56 paper-based documents. He further informed that the system will create the enabling environment for further digitization of DRAP’s back-end processes. Speaking on the occasion, CEO DRAP Asim Rauf said that the authority was mandated for effective coordination and enforcement of the Drugs Act, 1976 to regulate the manufacture, import, export, storage, distribution and sale of therapeutic goods in the country.
Integration with the PSW system will provide DRAP to get better visibility of all import and export transactions and help improve its control measures, he said adding that it will help in facilitating trade through the implementation of the Integrated Risk Management System, digital payments and electronic integration with labs and other relevant service providers. The system will also provide an interface for the electronic receipt of commercial documents attested by Pakistani missions abroad to mitigate fraud risks and save time and cost of doing business, he said adding that Pakistan Single Window allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single-entry point to fulfill all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements.