Sialkot Chamber Urges Ministry to Ease Document Attestation Process for Exporters

Sialkot: In a recent statement, Mr. Ikram ul Haq, President of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), voiced significant concerns from the local business community over challenges in the attestation and Apostille of key trade documents required for export by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). He emphasized the critical nature of these documents in facilitating international business and renewing contracts with foreign partners.

According to a statement by Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the documents in question include Membership Certificates, Certificates of Origin, Invoices, Packing Lists, and various compliance and authorization certificates essential for international trade. Mr. Haq pointed out that without streamlined attestation processes, exporters face difficulties in maintaining compliance and competitiveness on a global scale.

Mr. Haq criticized MoFA’s policy requiring personal appearances for document attestation, labeling it a disruption and unnecessary inconvenience for exporters. He proposed that MoFA accept documents through authorized representatives, suggesting that submissions could be made by anyone nominated by the business, provided they have an authority letter.

Despite repeated efforts by the Chamber to address these issues, Mr. Haq noted that they remain unresolved, posing ongoing challenges for exporters. He highlighted the importance of exports for the country’s economy and foreign exchange reserves, warning that such bureaucratic hurdles hinder national progress. Furthermore, he reiterated the Chamber’s request to establish a Help Desk for document attestation at the Business Facilitation Centre in Sialkot to offer timely assistance to exporters.

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