The expansion of National Logistics Cell (NLC) dry port at Thokhar Niaz Baig will commence from Friday at a total cost of Rs 450 million to provide modern facilities of rapid handling of export and import cargo. Managing Director, NLC Dry Port, Brigadier Ghulam Akbar Khan Niazi told APP here on Thursday that NLC dry port, a trend setter, has the potential to become the leading dry port in the country.
He said 20 acres of land adjacent to dry port is being acquired for the construction of five modern sheds to house at least 600 containers at one time. He said containers handling equipment, top lifters etc worth Rs 45 million are also being imported for rapid service.
He said that "one stop shop concept" will be introduced by providing customs, bank, clearing besides ensuring facilities under one roof. Round the clock customs clearance and examination facilities will also be available. Installation of yard management solution will keep track of all cargo housed at site which will enable the customers to view the status of their freight on line by feeding relevant data on web, he added.
Brigadier Niazi said that NLC intends to provide the facility of "delivery at the doorstep" to the traders. He said under new arrangement, to relieve the burden of procedural hassles for clearance and despatch of goods, NLC will provide "facilitation service" to importers for handing over consignment documents at this dry port and rest of processing right up to delivery at their doorsteps by the NLC.
MD said, to afford equal benefits to all ports, it is imperative that import/export cargo be cleared from the dry ports in the vicinity of various trade zones in the country.
Hailing the decision of up-gradation and expansion of this dry port, senior business leader and former president, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Iftikhar Ali Malik said that expansion of dry port on modern lines was the dire need of the hour and longstanding demand of the traders. He said it would help traders for rapid clearance of their import and export consignments, which he added, will save their other unnecessary expenditures.
He said at present, about 88 percent customs clearance is being handled at Karachi ports because of modern facilities whereas bulk of the imports and exports are initiated from inland industrial hubs all over the country. He said only a meagre part of cargo up to 10-12 percent is being cleared at upcountry dry ports.
Iftikhar Ali said this trend which is against international practices has resulted in reduction of commercial activities for the workforce in upcountry areas. He said even in our neighbourhood in China and India, only 15-20 percent bonded cargo is cleared at the seaports and rest of it is cleared at the inland dry ports.
He said entire business community would continue to support the prudent economic policies being pursued by the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to further help strengthen the national economy on sound footings.
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