KARACHI: All Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA) has expressed its grave concern at the heinous and libelous campaign which is relentlessly being disseminated for last two years by an unregistered, tabloid website against its member shipping lines, terminal operators and their respective principals, directors and employees.

APSA requested President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi to take immediate action and direct the PTA and other law enforcement agencies to take immediate action to stop the spread of these malicious and false allegations of this unregistered website being to blackmail the foreign entities that heavily invested and operating in Pakistan, which is nothing but an attempt to discourage foreign investors from coming to Pakistan and to adversely affect the name of Pakistan.

APSA also requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of these baseless and defamatory allegations against world’s renowned shipping companies and terminal operators. Despite the fact that District Court and High Court, in civil suit 93/2018, 95/2018, 132/2018, 1842/2018 and 451/2018 have passed injunctive orders and restrained the website from making any publication or circulating any defamatory statements in written or spoken, directly or indirectly.

“APSA take strong exception to this malicious campaign and demand all the relevant authorities and investigation agencies to take immediate notice of the acts of these criminal gang and reiterate its commitment to serve the Pakistan trade maintain the high-quality hassle-free logistics services,” a press release issued Wednesday said.

All Pakistan Shipping Association is the representative body of shipping fraternity that handles the entire seaborne trade to Pakistan amounting to almost $70 billion each year and contribute several hundred million dollars to the national exchequer each year.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021