Different industrial and import sectors of the economy have appealed to the government to waive off port charges, demurrages and container detention charges for next two months, which will help them to survive the coronavirus crisis.
Pakistan Steel Melters Association (PSMA) Chairman Mian Rehman Aziz Chan while talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday, feared that the lockdown delays in clearance of cargo and shorter banking hours may result in imposition of demurrages by the port authorities and container detention charges by the shipping lines or their agents.
"The industrial sector needs a relief package, which should include deferring of power and gas bills for 90 days at least while bank markup and repayment of installment of loans obtained by the industries should be deferred for six months," he demanded.
Chan also demanded that no markup should be charged for the period of industrial sector closure due to the lockdown. With the permission of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the commercials banks should extend special and extra finances to its regular industrial customers on low markup rates to meet any contingencies, he added.
He also stressed the government to take steel melters industry, which is a part and parcel of the construction sector, onboard in the proposed industrial package on construction.
Meanwhile, Pakistan FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Importers Association (PFIA) has also appealed to the government and the SBP to waive all demurrages/detention charges and penal interest for next two months; these charges are being levied on imported goods kept in bonded warehouses due to the lockdown clamped by different provincial governments due to coronavirus attack.
Talking to this scribe, PFIA Secretary General Muhammad Ejaz Tanveer said that due to lockdown announced by the Sindh and other provincial governments, a large number of containers are stuck on port and are awaiting clearance. "Even if they are cleared, there is dearth of transport despite the fact there is no ban on goods transportation. Importers will suffer huge losses if these containers are not cleared and they will have to pay demurrages and detention charges," he added.
He also appealed to the SBP that since import documents sent by the principles of importers are not reaching the banks in Pakistan in time, the banks must be asked to clear such cases on the basis of photocopies of documents. "The banks should also be allowed DA payments against documents to the FMCG sector instead of cash against documents," he added.