ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday approved the Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill 2025, aimed at streamlining cross-border trade and travel by creating a dedicated authority to manage land ports.
With this legislation, Pakistan will become the third country in South Asia — after Bangladesh (2002) and India (2012) — to establish a land port authority.
The bill, introduced by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on behalf of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, was formally adopted following a clause-by-clause review in the lower house.
Once passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari, the bill will pave the way for the formation of the Pakistan Land Port Authority. The new body will serve as a statutory agency to coordinate inter-departmental operations at border points, enhancing both the movement of goods and people.
PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar, chairing the NA Standing Committee on Finance, pointed out that his party had raised concerns about several clauses. However, after in-depth discussions and recommended changes by the legislative committee, PPP agreed to support the bill. At least 12 amendments were proposed and approved with consensus.
Background and purpose
Previous efforts to establish a land port authority date back to 2012 during the PPP government. Later, the PTI made another attempt in 2021, while the PML-N explored models for improved border terminals in 2016. The most recent version of the bill was tabled in December 2024 by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar but was initially not forwarded to a committee.
The bill seeks to provide a legal framework for declaring, regulating, and overseeing land ports across the country. It focuses on trade facilitation, competitive practices, border security, and safeguarding national interests.
Key features of the bill
- Establishment of a 16-member governing council to supervise the authority’s operations.
- Coordination with border control agencies for efficient processing and monitoring.
- Implementation of international agreements to boost regional competitiveness.
- Regulation and modernization of land ports with high-tech security systems to prevent smuggling and unauthorized entry.
At present, the lack of a unified authority at border points has caused delays and inefficiencies in goods and passenger flow. The proposed Pakistan Land Port Authority aims to eliminate these gaps and provide a streamlined, tech-driven, and secure environment at land border crossings.
