The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) will continue its inspection of exports consignments at the sea-ports to control smuggling of drugs. However, this system will be made more efficient to ensure clearance of the containers within the shortest possible time.
This was stated by Director General, ANF Regional Directorate, Brig. Muhammad Wajid during his interactive session with the members of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) here at PHMA House on Thursday.
Among the businessmen, the prominent were chief coordinator and former chairman of PHMA, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, PHMA Southern Zone, Abdul Rauf Patel, leading exporters Naqi Bari, Rafiq Godel, Kamran Chandna.
The leadership and the members of PHMA apprised the Director General ANF of the problems relating to clearance of export containers at the ports.
The ANF director general informed the PHMA member that during the first half of 2012, ten times more narcotics had been seized against that of total seized during last 10 years. In last six months, 23 tones of charas and 550 kilograms of heroin was seized. This shows the efficiency of ANF which is much better in comparison to many international drug controlling agencies.
He said in the light of profiles of the exporters, the ANF checks only two percent containers against its mandate of five percent.
He said that ANF earlier had bound the exporters to bring their consignments at the ports 48 hours before the shipment schedule. However, on the request of the exporters, the ANF revised its policy and fixed this period at 24 hours.
To extend maximum facilitation to the exporters, the ANF had deployed its additional staff which was working round-the-clock. He urged the PHMA members not to give a single penny as bribe to the officials of ANF and any other government agency for clearance of their containers as it had destroyed the entire system.
He said if some one demands ‘speed money’ in the name of ANF from an exporter, he should immediately inform his office and assured of very quick and strict legal action against the accused.
Brig Muhammad Wajid said on the demand of exporters, ANF has been working on a computer system which will show the status of export containers waiting for clearance/investigation by different agencies at the ports. Thus, the exporters would see their containers on the website that will help them to pursue for timely clearance of their containers.
Till the commissioning of this new internet facility, the PHMA can nominate their representative on whose assurance the packing of goods would not be opened for investigation/clearance and would be forwarded for shipment, he said.
Chief Coordinator and former central chairman PHMA, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani and other exporters welcomed the above facility and said it would solve at least seventy percent of their problems. He proposed that the clearance time of containers of a particular exporter be specified, along with identity of the official who is assigned this work. His contact number should also be given so that the exporter could contact and send his team for quick re-packing of the cartons in the containers, in case of opening of these, to avoid delay in the shipment. There should be a time bar and in case of delay, the containers should automatically forwarded for the shipment.
He informed the Director General ANF about the PHMA member exporters had complained that during the checking of their consignments, some officials were badly damaging the cartons/packing which caused great loss to them at the importers end.
Bilwani suggested that ANF, Customs and Container Terminals should function round-the-clock for speedy shipment of export goods as the export containers were reaching the ports day and night. “When our factories are running 24 hours, why not the clearing agencies at the ports,” he remarked.
