All Pakistan Dry Ports Association (APDPA) Chairman Muhammad Ishaque Butt has expressed concern over the blockade of bonded carriers’ licenses of all upcountry dry ports. The abrupt action of the Collector (Appraisement) Karachi played havoc with exports and hampered logistic planning of exporters of the region. The licenses of up-country dry ports were blocked for want of bank guarantee of Rs 5 million to cover the risk of loss of custom duties if import cargo en route was damaged or lost, he told the media on Saturday. He asked why exports were stopped and reiterated that exports had nothing to do with bank guarantee and they were unjustifiably blocked. Due to the energy crisis, law and order and rising cost of doing business, exporters are facing difficulties to manage their supplies and to compete at international level and the blockade of exports will result in missing of vessels and other serious repercussions which may lead to cancellation of export orders and huge loss to the national exchequer, he said. The chairman said that officials of APDPA met with the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) Chairman and the member customs to discuss the issue but no action had been taken. The All Pakistan Dry Ports Association has written a number of letters to FBR over important issues but nobody responded, he alleged. Butt said Pakistan Railways and NLC were exempted from bank guarantee as bonded carriers and up-country dry ports being permanent establishments should also be treated the same way. He said they would meet the new prime minister to discuss issues related to up-country dry
ports.
