Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has rejected the 30 percent increase in freight trains' charges by the Pakistan Railways, and termed that the move was totally unjustified. SCCI President Afan Aziz, Vice President Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and Abid Salam in a joint statement issued here on Thursday said Pakistan Railways had issued a circular regarding the 30 percent increase in freight charges on last month.
They recalled that the 20 percent freight charges had been raised by the authority in 2011, saying that gradual increase in freight charges was totally unfair and injustice. They said that burgeoning raise in freight charges would multiple the miseries of the business community and would also bring negative impacts on financial health of Pakistan Railways.
Afan Aziz said Afghan transit trade supplies (goods in transit to Afghanistan) came from Karachi to Peshawar in containers, adding fare for a 20-foot container loaded with 21 tons of goods had now gone up from Rs 57,400 to Rs 74,620 and freight rate for a 40-foot container with 44 tons of luggage had increased to Rs 132,600 from Rs 102,000.
He further said freight rates for a 20-foot container from Peshawar dry port to Karachi had gone up from Rs 11,000 to Rs 66,000 while charges for a 40-foot container had gone up from Rs 18,000 to Rs 99,000. SCCI Chief said this step on the part of railway authorities had dropped the level of exports from Peshawar dry port because cargo was now transported by trucks to Karachi as rate for a 20-foot container by truck was Rs 44,000 and Rs 62,000 for a 40-foot container by truck which was causing serious financial loss to dry port.
He demanded of the government to withdraw public rates by fixing special rates and suggested that fares increase should be 10 percent instead of 30 percent, and urged the government to take advisory committees in confidence before making such decisions.
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