This refers to the news item of Daily Business Recorder of December6, 2004, under the caption 'Mismanagement of quota by EPB'. The allegations levelled in the news item are not based on facts.
EPB CLARIFIES THE POSITION AS UNDER: Adil Butt, of PHMA, has stated in the reported press conference that a meeting was held in the Ministry of Commerce, Islamabad. The representatives of the associations and major exporters, including FHMA, Paksea and representative of QSC were present in the meeting to find out a viable solution.
It was demanded that all measures be undertaken to facilitate shipment of contracted goods. Ministry of Commerce and Export Promotion Bureau were of the firm view that the government should facilitate the shipments of genuine exporters, so that they could fulfil their commitments with their buyers.
Apparently, the compensation demands were mainly raised by quota traders, who had been holding quota to gain maximum advantage.
Keeping in view the genuine exporters' shipments, the procedure for pre-shipment authorisation for monitoring the export of category 338 was announced by the government to save the exporters from embargo/demurrages.
Adil Butt's statement regarding placement of quota in auction. It is pointed out that according to the Textile Quota Management Policy, the growth quantity is offered to the exporters through auction.
The Chairmen of PHMA, Aslam Karsaz, Paksea's Anis Marfani and major exporters are in constant touch with EPB and regularly visiting ERG and the PHMA Chairman was personally involved in issuance of pre-shipm9nt certificates of Cat 338.
In order to streamline the procedure for pre-shipment and to facilitate urgent shipments of the exporters, EPB offices remained open throughout Pakistan and arrangements were made to receive the applications from the exporters round the clock on November 29 and 30, 2004, for issuance of pre-shipment certificates on immediate basis.
The Associations were also requested to accommodate exporters for processing of the applications for pre-shipment. PHMA Chairman was co-ordinating in this process with ERG and he visited EPB on November 29 and 30, 2004.
It is further clarified that pre-shipment certificates were issued on first-come-first-served basis and were stopped when the available quota got exhausted on December 1, 2004.
The Associations were well aware of the situation. Adil Butt, PHMA Chairman, Northern Zone was himself one of the major beneficiaries of pre-shipment policy and was authorised a quantity of over 45,513 dozen, out of the total authorisation of 311,556 dozen in category 338.
EPB has given all information at all times to the associations regarding availability of quota, and associations were well aware of the pre-shipment authorisation.
It is, in fact, surprising that the Associations have been forwarding applications for the pre-shipment authorisation to EPB. They are now trying to give the impression as if they were ignorant about the procedure.
The statement of the PHMA Chief of Northern Zone, Adil Butt, apparently gives an impression that they are interested in compensation only.
Regarding the QSC representation by Shehzed Azam, the Circle Chairman of Paksea and M.I. Khurram of Comfort Knitwear, Lahore, it has been checked from Azize Memon, Chairman, QSC, who informed that these two gentlemen were not confirmed to represent QSC in the meeting in Islamabad.
Moreover, it is mainly a presumption that PIA would not be able to handle cargo. Ministry of Commerce and Export Promotion Bureau are already working on procedure and programme for smooth handling of cargo from January 1, 2005. The procedure would be announced very shortly by EPB.-PR
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