Shipping transit policy on the cards

A comprehensive shipping transit policy is being formulated and it will be implemented soon to enhance the country’s exports by enhancing mutual trade with Central Asian Republics, said Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi.

Speaking during his visit to the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday, he asked the businessmen to shift from the primitive procedure to e-commerce.

“The government has taken notice of the increasing demurrage charges of containers at Karachi port and traders will hear good news very soon,” he announced. “Operations at the Karachi port have been digitised which has eliminated corruption to a great extent.”

He added that the government has taken measures to further strengthen the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

On the occasion, SCCI President Hasnain Khurshid apprised the minister about the reservations of traders over high demurrage charges, monopoly of shipping companies, issues relating to exports and other problems which were hampering trade. He presented proposals for swift resolution of all the issues.

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“The significance of Karachi and Gwadar ports has increased with the advent of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he said.

He informed the minister that traders belonging to Khyber-Pakhtunkwa were facing several difficulties solely because they were far from a port city.

He proposed shifting Afghan Transit Trade containers from Karachi to the Gwadar port in order to ease burden and accelerate exports proceeds and process.

The chamber president welcomed government’s business friendly policies and said that the country’s economy was heading in the right direction due to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2021.

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