Customs clearing agents and traders concerned with Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) demanded the abolition of the monopoly of bonded carriers for transportation of transit goods to Afghanistan. They also called to bind them for the safe delivery of goods. These demands were made by a seven-member delegation which called on the Director General (DG) Transit Trade Pakistan (TTP) Javed Ghani here during his visit at Transit Trade Directorate.
On this occasion, Director Transit Trade, Fayyaz Anwar, Additional Director, Zia-ul-Shams, Directors, Dr Adeem Khan and Deputy Director Amin were also present. The delegation of the local traders headed by Senior Vice President, Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI) and president, Frontier Customs Agents Group (FCAG), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi comprised of Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, Faiz Mohammad Faizi, Haji Gul Afzal Shinwari, Farooq Ahmad, Shakeel Ahmad and Ishtiaq Ahmad.
The delegation also called for the activation of the prevailing tracking system, says it is only charging its own fee while its performance is poor. They also complained of difficulties of examination in Karachi as the system is conducting 5% marking while containers were still checked manually.
Similarly, the delegation also spoke of difficulties in the laboratory test and in case of finding any deficiency or excess in examination of container the FIR is registered against customs agent and border agent. Therefore, they called for the cancellation of the justification letter of the Afghan exporters. They said there is no arrangement of the scanning of 45 feet Nine Commercial High Cube at NLC operated terminal at Jamrud, which strands containers for several days and they are re-opened for check. Therefore, they called for the proper arrangement for scanning of 45 feet containers.
The other demands of the traders were included the permitting of the loading of LCL (Loose Cargo) and abolition of SRO 121 by the FBR so it could be shifted from Karachi through loose cargo. The step will result in millions of rupees benefit for Pakistan Railways and even the vacant 450 ZBC wagons of the later will also be utilised and the handover of empty containers in Karachi to shipping lines to prevent additional charges in head of rent, port demurrages and detention of containers.
Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi who is also Vice Chairman of All Pakistan Custom Agents Association (APCAA) and FPCCI standing committee on Customs Agents told the officials of the Transit Trade that due to new agreement, 70% of Afghan Transit Trade instead of Karachi port had shifted to Chahbahar and Bandar Abbas ports of Iran. According to an estimate, the shifting of the trade cargo to Iran has inflicted an annual loss of Rs 12 billion to Rs 14 billion and rendered hundreds of clearing agents, border agents, labourers, transporters and ATT related businessmen. Therefore, he stressed need for the review of the new agreement to bring the Afghan cargo back to Karachi.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.