Although, the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) has been recommenced after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's order for immediate re-opening of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, traders appeared reticent to release consignments, due to high demurrages and detention charges amounting to around Rs 375 million; it is learnt. Nawaz has ordered immediate re-opening of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which was closed due to intense wave of terrorism that engulfed all four provinces, leaving over 100 persons including senior police officials killed in February alone.
The movement of ATT cargoes, which is suspended since February 16, 2017, has now been resumed after the PM's order but the traders appear reticent to release consignments, due to high demurrages and detention charges. Market sources said that around 2500 containers were stuck at different ports of Karachi, due to the closure of Pak-Afghan border; adding that the traders had to pay Rs 0.1 million on account of demurrages and detention charges for the release of each container.
They said that the demurrages and detention charges on around 2500 ATT containers, which were presently causing port congestion, were accumulated to 375 million. Moreover, sources said that traders despite appreciating the said decision and termed it as economic and public friendly, were uncertain about its viability sans any concrete assurance from both sides.
Correspondingly, the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA) has also taken up the said issue, demanding the shipping and terminal authorities to consider the waiver of port demurrage and detention charges of containers from the date of closing till the period of settlement with the lines/terminals. It said that this action would not only facilitate the transit trade but also ease the heavy congestion facing by local trade/industry as thousands of containers were still lying at port causing unnecessary delay in examination and delivery of local consignments.
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