We refer to various articles appearing recently in Business Recorder (on 20.6.2007, 22.6.2007 and 23.6.2007) including our clarification on 21.6.2007 and wish to register our protest a the way in which the successive articles deliberately engage in subterfuge with respect to the issue at hand.
The original article referred to alleged increase in freight rates from China. We issued a detailed clarification which was unfortunately edited by your esteemed newspaper. Had it not been so, the issue would have been correctly understood.
We had explained how freight rates for import consignments are decided at Port of Loading (in line with Pakistani merchants' prevalent practice of opening CNF L/Cs). As such we had said our members were not in a position determine freight rates which in any case are always a purview of their Principles.
The freight increases we had alluded to were in other sectors (namely westbound to Europe as per IPBC circular dated 3rd April, 2007) which your subsequent article also quotes but in a manner which leads the ordinary reader to believe it applies to the Chinese sector.
In addition, the subsequent article, in an unexpected twist, talks of local charges (documentation, etc) in an inaccurate manner. We are proud that we have always acted as a responsible association especially vis-a-vis other trade bodies such as FPCCI, KCCI, etc. We have repeatedly provided our recommended range of local charges levied by our members and investigated/redressed all genuine complaints in a timely manner. The allegations in your article are therefore firmly denied.
Lastly, in one of the articles, your reporter states that PSAA office (bearers were repeatedly contacted to no avail. Neither myself nor the Hon Secretary (the normally authorised spokespersons of any association) have received any such messages.
We request you to publish our clarification as we have always held your publication high esteem and do not wish to see it perpetuate any inaccurate reporting about the shipping sector.