PM urged to announce waiver from demurrage charges at ports

Patron-in-Chief of United Business Group (UBG) and former president of FPCCI, S. M. Muneer, has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan and Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Zaidi to extend the 30-day extension of "free time" to all ports and waive off demurrage on cargo at ports.

Commenting on reports of the ECC extending the "free time" period at Karachi Port Trust from 5 days to 15 days, he said that the period was very short as all matters related to import and export were affected adversely by the coronavirus and lockdown in the city.

S. M. Muneer said that importers and exporters had been facing huge problems due to the virus and lockdowns. The entrepreneurs' capital had been frozen while import and export activities were lying almost stagnant.

He urged the ministry of maritime affairs to pay immediate attention to this issue. Container lines should be strictly advised to waive off detention charges within 30 days.

He noted with concern that many shipping lines charged too much, and many shipping lines were receiving about $150 a day per container which was a huge burden on traders, importers and exporters.

He said countries around the world were giving huge concessions and facilities to all sectors due to the corona pandemic, while importers, exporters and investors in Pakistan had been facing huge problems.

In this situation the business community would like to appeal to the prime minister to announce a waiver from demurrage charges and extend the "free time" period to 30 days at the ports, he said.