PIFFA hails draft of new laws

KARACHI: Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association (PIFFA) has welcomed the approval of the draft of Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 2011 and Sea Carriage Shipping Documents Act 2011 by the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Ports & Shipping.

In a statement here Monday, chairman of the association Asim Saeed Khan said that upgrading the obsolete laws of 1925 and 1856 was necessitated to harmonize Pakistan's laws with international best practices.

He said that NA Standing Committee had held five sessions to hear all stakeholders and considered recommendations of several Ministries and State Bank of Pakistan.

Now the bills will be presented in the National Assembly within 30 days for legislation, PIFFA office bearers and members were instrumental in drafting of the above instruments at various stages.

Khan thanked NA committee chairman Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan, other members and Minister of Ports & Shipping, Senator Babar Khan Ghauri for keen interest in the passage of the bills and hoped that the bills will soon becomes Acts once passed by the Parliament.

He felt confident that the bills enacted by Parliament will provide tremendous growth in imports & exports trade and its onus goes to the NA Standing Committee and the Parliament of Pakistan.

The updated legislation will bring positive energy to all the stakeholders and open new vista of connectivity to Pakistan with the world's shipping and solid imprints on logistics map, he noted.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011