ISLAMABAD: Department of Plant Protection (DPP), an arm of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, on Thursday came under harsh criticism in the Senate Committee on Commerce for creating undue hurdles in export and import of commodities through land route.
The issue regarding permission to import and export to Asia through land route by All Pakistan Dry Fruit Importers and Exporters Association was referred by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani to the Senate Committee on Commerce.
The founding Chairman All Pakistan Dry Fruits Importers and Exporters Association, Haji Fojan, who was invited by the Committee, briefed it on the issues they face with respect to export and import through Iran and Afghanistan.
He apprised the Committee that DPP is deliberately creating hurdles by not issuing export permit with the justification that this will only be issued by the Director General of Organization. He said the position of DG has been vacant since May 2021. He accused Director DPP of issuing permits to those who provide an enticement.
He said, Balochistan-based exporters and importers are doing barter trade with Afghanistan and Iran and in the current situation they are smuggling goods, adding that the government should immediately assign charge of DG to some officer so that exporters and importers' issues are resolved. Export permit is issued in Karachi for transporting goods by the sea but by land it is issued in Quetta.
This attitude of the department is affecting trade with Iran, the Association president observed. He recommended that the DG plant protection be appointed immediately with an office in Islamabad.
Javed Bilwani, who introduced himself as President of Afghanistan Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (APJCCI), said that this issue will not be resolved until export permits are issued online on the basis of first come first serve.
Senator Saleem Mandviwala endorsed the viewpoint of Haji Fojan, saying that DPP is using delaying tactics with the importers and exporters which are anti-business. He said, DPP is blocking consignments of cotton being import through third country, adding that a case was brought into his notice last week in which DPP had stopped release of imported cotton with the justification it was imported from a third country. He further stated that recently, DPP released cotton imported through third country. Pakistan, he added, is seriously deficient in cotton which is being imported from Central Asian States through a third country.
"DPP is detrimental for export and import and they are overriding everybody including Commerce and Local Government departments," he added.
Mandviwala stated that LCs are being opened in Germany or Turkey and cotton is arriving from third country.
"DPP is seeking LCs details from importers of cotton, which is the mandate of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), he contended. Commerce Ministry, SBP and stakeholders do not have any objection but DPP is creating hurdles which is empowered to only issue directives related to sanitary and phyto-sanitary," he said, adding that Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research and DPP officials should be called in the next meeting.
Separately, another company, Ahmed and Kamran Ltd, has approached Prime Minister Imran Khan, NAB, FIA etc. against massive corruption in DPP. The company has accused DPP's top brass of giving undue favours to only those companies which entice them. Some of the officials of DPP are sitting on an additional charge seat for the last several years.
Dr. Ahmed Mjutaba Memon, Additional Secretary Commerce, proposed that officials of Ministry of National Food Security and Research be called in the next meeting so that their viewpoint may also be heard. He argued that probably there are issue related to setting up a laboratory for sanitary and phyto-sanitary.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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