In a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs held on Friday, the issues of containers stuck at the sea ports of Pakistan, penalties imposed by foreign shipping companies and private terminal operators at ports for consignment arriving in Pakistan during the lockdown period, were taken up by the members of the committee. It was informed during the meeting that despite instructions being issued by the shipping director-general, advising shipping lines not to impose container detention charges on import shipments, the charges are still being imposed and demurrages are also asked to be paid in billions. The committee vowed to take up this matter in the next scheduled meeting for the redressal of grievances. The bills; Port Qasim Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and Gwadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019, were deferred for the next meeting in order to have more clarity from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Ministry of Law and Justice.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2020.
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