On 9 December, the world marks International Anti-Corruption Day, highlighting the importance of integrity, transparency, and accountability. This year’s focus, “𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧,” recognizes the role of young people in shaping fairer societies.

To mark the day, Global Compact Network Pakistan & Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), in collaboration with Bahria University Karachi, hosted an interactive session with students on the maritime industry, a key driver of Pakistan’s trade and economy, where ethical practices are essential.
The discussion highlighted how youth can support MACN’s collective action efforts to strengthen integrity and accountability across the maritime sector.

Special thanks to Kashif Ali Shaikh, Executive Director – Transparency International, for contributing valuable insights to the discussion.

On September 30, 2024, the Global Compact Network Pakistan (GCNP) and Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN – Denmark) in collaboration with the All-Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA), hosted a highly engaging and informative session titled “Ease of Doing Business and Good Governance in Customs Procedures “.

Syed Tanvir Ahmad, Senior Advisor to GCNP-MACN, delivered the opening remarks. He warmly welcomed attendees and underscored the significance of the session and provided an introduction to GCNP-MACN’s mission and objectives.

Esteemed speakers from Pakistan Customs Mr. Omar Shafique, Collector of Customs Enforcement (Port), and Mr. Daud Pirzada, Director, Intelligence & Investigation (Customs) from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) delivered comprehensive presentations, tackling critical topics such as shipping licensing, efficient port operations, cargo handling at terminals, resolving issues surrounding stuck containers, GD hold containers, auction and destruction processes, various charges, port container movements, TP containers, transshipment hubs, and document amendments. The speakers emphasized the importance of adopting good governance practices and digitalization of customs/port operations. The session highlighted the pivotal role that efficient customs operations play in reducing trade barriers, improving transparency, and boosting Pakistan’s global competitiveness. It focused on modernizing customs practices to simplify trade, enhance the ease of doing business, and ensure the seamless movement of goods across borders.

A subsequent Q&A session allowed participants to share challenges and hurdles, while the speakers offered insightful solutions and expert advice. The event culminated with the distribution of certificates to participants and the presentation of a commemorative shield to the representative of APSA. There were 35 participants who attended the session at PNSC (office of APSA) and 24 participants attended online. Participants included senior representatives of Ministry of Maritime Affairs, DP World, Maersk, Cosco, Hutchison Port, ONE Ocean Network Express, CMA-CGM, Eastern Shipping, Evergreen, Delta Shipping, UMA, and senior executives from GCNP-MACN.

MACN has been at the forefront of the effort to establish and promote good practices, ensure compliance, and foster collaboration among stakeholders working tirelessly in countries around the world. By engaging with governments, businesses, and civil society, MACN has successfully implemented anti-corruption initiatives in regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Through events like this interactive session, MACN continues to champion transparency, accountability, and integrity in the maritime industry, paving the way for sustainable and ethical trade practices globally.

On September 26, 2024, the Global Compact Network Pakistan (GCNP), and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) organized a highly engaging and informative session titled “Streamlining the Missing Links in Customs Procedures for Port Operations & Shipping Sector”. This pivotal event brought together esteemed stakeholders, including senior leaders from terminal operators, off-dock terminals, and members of the All-Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA).

The session was graciously hosted by Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL), with Syed Tanvir Ahmed, Senior Advisor to -GCNP-MACN, delivering the opening remarks. He warmly welcomed attendees and underscored the significance of the session, also providing a concise introduction to the GCNP-MACN Project’s mission and objectives.

Esteemed speakers from Pakistan Customs Mr. Omar Shafique, Collector of Customs Enforcement (Port), and Mr. Daud Pirzada, Director, Intelligence & Investigation (customs) delivered comprehensive presentations, tackling critical topics such as shipping licensing, cargo handling at terminals, resolving issues of stuck-up containers, GD hold containers, auction/destruction, various charges, port container movement, TP containers, transshipment hub, and document amendments.

A subsequent Q&A session allowed participants to share challenges and hurdles, while the speakers offered insightful solutions and expert advice. The event culminated with the presentation of a commemorative shield to the CEO of Karachi Gateway Terminal Ltd along with certificates awarded to the participants.

The significance of good practices in the maritime sector was emphasized. Effective customs procedures and port operations are crucial for facilitating global trade, promoting economic growth, and preventing corruption. The GCNP-MACN Project has been at the forefront of this effort, working tirelessly to establish and promote good practices, ensure compliance, and foster collaboration among stakeholders.

By engaging with government, businesses, and civil society, MACN has successfully implemented anti-corruption initiatives in regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Through events like this interactive session, MACN continues to champion transparency, accountability, and integrity in the maritime industry, paving the way for sustainable and ethical trade practices globally.

It is worth noting that an interactive session was held to commemorate the “World Maritime Day” proving that MACN is striving to enhance good practices in the maritime industry of Pakistan along with its stakeholders.

Karachi, August 21, 2024 – The Global Compact Network Pakistan (GCNP), and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), Denmark organized an interactive session today at the Pakistan Customs Academy. With support from Pakistan Customs, the event focused on “Streamlining and Augmenting the Missing Links in Customs Procedures for the Shipping Sector.” The session attracted key stakeholders, including senior management from various shipping lines, and members of the All-Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA).

The session covered a range of crucial topics impacting the shipping industry, such as shipping licensing, the issue of stuck containers, GD hold containers, auction and destruction processes, various charges, port container movements, TP containers and transshipment hubs, and document amendments.

Syed Tanvir Ahmed, Senior Advisor for GCNP – MACN, welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the session’s objectives, emphasizing the importance of addressing these procedural challenges.

Esteemed speakers from Pakistan Customs, including Mr. Omar Shafique, Collector of Enforcement (Ports); Mr. Daud Pirzada, Additional Collector of Enforcement; and Ms. Ammara Durrani, Additional Collector of Appraisement (West), shared valuable insights and engaged in discussions with the attendees.

The interactive session highlighted the pressing procedural issues faced by the shipping industry, especially concerning container holding, the auction process, and challenges with withheld containers. It was noted that around 10,000 containers are currently being held by Customs, causing significant disruptions in shipping line operations.

Mr. Daud Pirzada informed the audience about the e-auction module accessible through the WeBOC system, designed to streamline the auction process. Mr. Omar Shafique provided context by sharing that, over the past decade, 35 million containers have been cleared, with only 0.05 percent still awaiting auction. He also explained the complexities in the auction process, citing instances. He delved into the exchange rates related to charges and advised the shipping sector to re-export the containers except those that have been confiscated.

Addressing the participants, Ms. Ammara Durrani, discussed practical challenges in the auction process, including the limited number of bidders, old pending auction lots, diplomatic goods, nonavailability of phytosanitary certificates and permissions from various other departments along with ongoing litigation, all of which contribute to delays in the auctioning of containers.

During the session, representatives from shipping companies raised concerns and sought guidance from the Customs officials. There was an exchange of suggestions between senior customs officer APSA members.

Mr. Muhammad Qasim Khokher, Principal of the Pakistan Customs Academy, actively participated in the discussions. The Chief guest Nawabzadi Aliya Khanji, Director, Customs Academy of Pakistan welcomed all participants and offered the Academy as a venue for future sessions, extending her full support for upcoming programs.

As a token of appreciation, certificates were awarded to the participants at the conclusion of the session.

The MACN Spring Members Meeting/Conference took place at Moltke’s Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 23-24, 2024. It was attended by over 230 participants representing MACN members, partners, and staff.

During the conference, Pakistan presented the progress made so far. This included introducing the project’s lifecycle to date and activities carried out by the Project Manager, Muhammad Akram. Advisor MACN, Mr. Syed Tanvir Ahmad, elaborated on corruption-related challenges for the shipping sector, with a special focus on shortage claims in edible oil and bulk cargo in Pakistan. He also discussed potential solutions and the way forward. This breakout session was well-received by the members.

The presentation was followed by a question and answer session, during which Mathias Bak, an Associate MACN Representative, also participated. He provided updates on project developments in Pakistan.

Representatives of member companies and the P&I club discussed the shortage claims issue at length and tried to understand this phenomenon.

Bangladesh, India, Egypt, Nigeria, Argentina, Malaysia, and West Africa provided updates on the progress of their projects during separate breakout sessions.

On April 26, 2024, MACN hosted the 5th Collective Action Workshop at their office. Countries running the Collective Action Program participated through their representatives. In this workshop, MACN’s partners shared their experiences, approaches, and tools in implementing anti-corruption projects in their respective countries. Through facilitated discussions and knowledge-sharing, all the participants identified key learnings and practices to be replicated and scaled in other contexts. Participants discussed and agreed upon the way forward.

It was an excellent opportunity to interact with members and workshop participants, exchange ideas, and enhance networking. It will help in reshaping Pakistan’s program and future course of action.

Majyd Aziz, President Global Compact Network Pakistan, stated that the enlightened corporations of Pakistan have steadfastly continued to comply with International Labor Standards, the Ten Principles of UN Global Compact, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. They have become role models, not only for large corporations but also for SMEs. It is imperative that the private sector must ensure that in this tough global marketplace, the share of Pakistan must rise and there is no room for complacency or shortcuts. The consumer of today strongly demand that the products they purchase are made by companies that adhere to all quality standards. He was speaking at the signing ceremony of the Charter of Principles where Roshan Packages Ltd of Lahore, became a member of the UNGC based in New York.

Mr Tayyab Aijaz Qureshi, CEO of Roshan Packages, in his speech assured that his company, which is a leader in the packaging industry, would assiduously maintain its record of compliance and at the same time, motivate other companies to comply with all standards. He added that compliance of international standards is now the national duty of all companies and all must ensure that Pakistan becomes the country of choice to source excellent products.

Khalid Junejo, Executive Director GCNP, Rida Tayyab, Director RPL, and executives of both organizations were present at the signing ceremony.

Futuristic Shipping Policy being prepared ~~ Vice Admiral(R) Iftikhar Rao

Vice Admiral (R) Iftikhar Rao, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Maritime, disclosed that the government is shaping a futuristic Shipping Policy keeping in view the new dynamics of the Maritime Sector. The Policy would address all aspects that would lead to a pragmatic outlook and enable all stakeholders to participate with more determination. He added that Maritime Economic Security is also crucial although it is different from Maritime Naval Security. Therefore, it is imperative that Maritime Economic Security and Maritime Military Security given equal importance. He was presenting his keynote address as Chief Guest at the Maritime Conference hosted by Global Compact Network Pakistan and Maritime Anti-Corruption Network based in Denmark.

Admiral Rao further stated that Pakistan pays over $7 billion each year to foreign shipping lines and this is a huge burden on the country’s foreign exchange reserves. He said that until 1960, Pakistan had no state-owned shipping company and now has only PNSC. He advised the private sector to enter the shipping sector since the future is very profitable in shipping. He also advised that the private sector should become major players in the Blue Economy. In his opinion, those who are in the Maritime Industry are very fortunate and progressive. He said that, unfortunately, information is lacking about Maritime Industry and Blue Economy and hence the transformation and change are very slow and that is why private sector is not eager to invest. However, the good side is that the private sector is always pragmatic and practical and that is why he is very optimistic.

Admiral Rao added that there would be a mega shortage of seafarers since demand for trained human resources would hugely increase. Therefore, it is imperative that the graduates of Pakistan Marine Academy be provided practical training on foreign ships through arrangement with the owners of these shipping lines. He also asked the private sector to provide ways and means to train the cadets who, as seafarers, could be employed at international level on foreign ships and earn foreign exchange for the country. He said that in the first instance, atleast 100 seafarers should be annually accommodated and the government is in contact with the shipping lines for their support.

Majyd Aziz, President GCNP, in his welcome address, said that GCNP and MACN are focused on initiating fundamental change in the Maritime ecosystem through sensitizing, informing, and training stakeholders to substantially eradicate corrupt practices. He said that three major conferences alongwith many consultative meetings, individual sessions, webinars etc have been undertaken. He said he is pleased to report that all stakeholders and users of ports have unanimously joined the bandwagon and have pledged to achieve the objective of zero tolerance for corruption. He said the menace of corruption has tarnished the global image of Pakistan and at the same time increased the cost of doing business. Moreover, corruption is now institutionalized, and it is high time that exemplary punishment is given to those whose corrupt practices are well known, as this would introduce deterrence for others who indulge in corrupt or bad practices. He proposed that Blue Economy should also be a priority in the Special Investment Facilitation Council domain since focus on indigenous resources must be encouraged rather than too much dependence on imported inputs. He also said that GCNP is working on an App so that members could access this for any issues faced by them. He suggested that this App should be linked to PSW so that fast track remedy could be provided.

Ms Alia Shahid, Director General Ports & Shipping, in her speech stated that she has been involved with this project from day one, and is pleased that momentum has been created to achieve the objectives. She added that any new project generally seems impossible but if it doable and feasible, then everyone must join to make it successful. She said that in her opinion, the path is becoming clearer and this is a great opportunity to move forward. She complimented GCNP and MACN and offered full support of her organization.

Mathias Bak, Associate from MACN, in his presentation said that now it is time to undertake a collective action by all stakeholders. Collective action is a process in which stakeholders coordinate to jointly address shared challenges and create a critical mass in order to forge ahead with unity and sincerity of purpose. He disclosed that such efforts have been successful in Nigeria, India, and Argentina where the positive rate was nearly 100%. He outlined five stages of the collective action lifecycle that are essential. He enumerated these as mapping and alliances building, scoping, inception, implementation, and continuous adaptation. He said that the project in Pakistan is at inception stage and with the full support of stakeholders, it would not take long to reach the implementation stage. He said MACN is committed to achieve this in Pakistan.

Adnan Rafiq, Domain Officer of Pakistan Single Window, in his presentation stated that 80% of global trade compliances are now covered under PSW, and over 67,000 users have subscribed in PSW. He disclosed that Pakistan is paying $450 million additional cost in complying with regulations related to imports but with PSW, the financial cost, time, and complications are substantially reduced, resulting in huge savings of foreign exchange.

Project Manager Muhammad Akram moderated a very informative panel discussion. The panelists Kamran Farid, President Stevedores Conference, Kashif Ali, Executive Director Transparency International, Capt Muqadas Sharif, representing Ship Agents, and Commander Idrees of Bahria University offered their views on how collective action could be structured and sustained among maritime industry stakeholders to minimize corruption in the handling of cargo and operations within ports, and what role could regulatory frameworks and industry guidelines play in fostering a culture of integrity and transparency within the maritime industry. Advisor of the project, Tanvir Ahmad offered the concluding remarks and vote of thanks while GCNP Executive Director, Khalid Junejo, organized and coordinated the event.

EFP actively working on Gender Equality and Equity ~~ EFP President

Malik Tahir Javaid, President Employers Federation of Pakistan, stated that EFP is the leading employers’ body that has been actively working to empower women with equal access to decent work, promote gender equality, and eliminate all forms of discrimination at home and at the workplace which is in line with its mission to make Pakistani’s economy prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive. EFP has also taken the lead in creating awareness about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the ILO Decent Work Agenda, especially SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth. He was speaking as the Chief Guest at the Global Compact Network Pakistan event on Target Gender Equality in Islamabad.

Malik Tahir Javaid informed that EFP started a campaign on Women Empowerment in collaboration with the International Labor Organization under a project that is an initiative of the Government of Japan. It is aimed to promote the inclusivity of females in the active workforce through enterprise-level policy recommendations and female entrepreneurship. It would also address the formalization of Domestic Workers in Pakistan through a Code of Conduct for employers of Domestic Workers. EFP has organized several training programs and awareness raising sessions on ILO’s Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work.

Majyd Aziz, President Global Compact Network Pakistan, in his welcome address highlighting the Target Gender Equality initiative, said that it is a global program to support UN Global Compact business participants in setting and meeting ambitious targets for equal participation and leadership across all levels of management, as well as to advance equal pay for work of equal value. He disclosed that over 2,000 companies around the world, including eighteen from Pakistan, have joined the program from over seventy countries. More than 4,000 “change makers” are involved in this program. He added that GCNP would equip companies with latest data and research to support them to build a case for gender equality. He was hopeful that by end of 2023, the number of Pakistani companies would cross thirty.

Mian Akram Farid, Former President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that it is the responsibility of employers to provide jobs to women and to ensure a conducive working environment. He advised that pilot projects in SME sector should be started for women and that Women Chambers Council and various mainstream Chambers and Associations should play a prominent role in facilitating these pilot projects. He disclosed that none of the hotels in Pakistan has a woman Head Chef and this is a sad story. Women should be allowed to work on machines and jobs that are traditionally done by men.

Hina Mansab Khan, Chairperson of Women Chambers Council, said that since last couple of decades, she has been struggling to create an ecosystem for women to have their own Chambers and positions as office bearers of FPCCI. She deplored the attitude of many who indulge in character assassination of women who are actively involved in trade bodies. She called upon all in the private sector to ensure that women are given respect, equality, and positions in decision-making.

Fiza Farhan, an Advisor to UN Secretary General and well known consultant, conducted an interactive training program in which mostly women in the audience enthusiastically participated. She motivated them by stating that women are an asset in any organization and together women can bring change. She said it is high time an environment be created that would use reverse psychology to get those women who face gender and other issues and help get them out of depression. She advised that a “pressure cooker” approach is required to comfort and educate women who face work related issues.

Many women in the audience informed about their personal efforts, difficulties, and initiatives, and offered ideas and solutions. The consensus was that positions and jobs in private sector should be gender-blind, that women themselves should demonstrate flexibility with regard to equality, that women should be on policy making boards, that the practice of unnecessarily forcing women employees to work late hours, and that ensuring not only equality but also participation in equity.

Mostly entrepreneurs and career-based women attended the Target Gender Equality event from Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, and they complimented GCNP for organizing this event. Samreen Shaikh and Zainab Fatima of GCNP, assisted by consultant Fauzia Mahmood, moderated and coordinated the program.