The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has levied fee of Rs 20 per document for obtaining token for payment of demurrage at the Port, Customs agents sources said on Tuesday. They said that the token fee of Rs 20 was earlier charges for token for payment of wharfage but on demurrage side the issuance of token by the contractor appointed by KPT was free.
The Karachi Customs Agents Group (KCAG) General Secretary Arif Siddiqui has criticised the new levy, which he said would increase the cost of imports. He said that neither advance notice was issued for the levy nor the Group was taken into confidence in this regard.
He said that the group had always co-operated with the KPT and extended its comments on all issues sought by the port. The recent example of this co-operation is the introduction of pre-paid cards for payment of wharfage and demurrage by the KPT which acknowledged the problems in payment of port dues faced by the clearing agents and introduced the pre-payment system.
He urged the KPT Chairman to direct the contractor to withdraw the levy of Rs 20 as it negated the KPT policy of making Karachi port a less expensive and competitive port in the region.
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