Karachi: Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has said that the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) welcomes the facilitative and consultative approach of FBR and appreciated the significant measures announced by Customs Appraisement South in a stakeholders meeting aimed at removing operational bottlenecks that have been hampering trade efficiency at Karachi ports.
The meeting was attended by leading trade bodies including, FPCCI – the apex body; Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI); Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA); All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA); Chief Collector Appraisement; all three Collectors of Appraisement South; terminal operators and off-dock terminal representatives.
Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh outlined major issues faced by trade as: (i) persistent delays in timely grounding of containers by terminal operators (ii) frequent incidents of cargo damage, pilferage and mishandling during examination (iii) restricted delivery hours at off-dock terminals causing congestion and additional costs.
In response, the Chief Collector Appraisement South said that under the leadership of Chairman FBR, the team of Customs Appraisement was committed to reduce port dwell time as per international best practices. He issued following directives for immediate implementation: off-dock terminals must extend cargo delivery hours; trained and certified packers should be deployed for cargo stuffing/de-stuffing and strict timelines should be followed for grounding of containers.
Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh welcomed the development and announcements: “The business community has been raising these issues for a long time. The meeting and the firm instructions given by Customs are a major step forward in trade facilitation. FPCCI remains fully committed to working hand-in-hand with FBR, Pakistan Customs and all stakeholders to eliminate hurdles and promote ease of doing business for legitimate trade and industry.”
Mr. Asif Sakhi, VP FPCCI, who represented FPCCI in the meeting, stated: “The directives to resolve the issues highlighted by trade bodies will significantly reduce delays, protect valuable cargo from damage and ease congestion at cargo terminals. This is a clear demonstration that when stakeholders sit together, practical solutions are found quickly.”
Mr. Asif Sakhi reiterated that continuous dialogue and swift enforcement of such decisions are essential to strengthen Pakistan’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.
