Pakistan Customs has set up a new customs laboratory at the Azacle Dry Port, an important step that aims to accelerate trade facilities and delay clearance for importers.
The new facility is equal to the necessary equipment that is able to test fabric, plastic, color, edible equipment and related products.
Officials said that the lab will handle up to 80 % of all the examination requirements, which will greatly reduce the need to send samples in remote facilities.
Earlier, traders had to send product samples to laboratories in Karachi, Lahore, or Faisalabad, which took several days and increased logistics costs. It is expected that the change time of the new Ezakil Lab will be shortened, the costs will be reduced, and the performance of customs clearance will be improved.
Importers welcomed the move, calling it a “long -awaited relief”. He said that the operation of the lab would not only keep the costs to the cost but also help reduce housing time – the period before clearance is available at the port.
Mr Junaid Altaf, president of the Sarahad Chamber of Commerce, praised the move, noting that better testing capacity would increase transparency and ensure the integrity of samples during the inspection.
Customs officials have confirmed that another latest laboratory will soon be operational at the Turkham Border Station under the Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS) Project, which will further strengthen border management and commercial efforts.