In Faisalabad Dry Port Trust elections, Shahzad Ali Siddiqui was elected the chairman and Mohammad Muezam as the senior vice chairman of the FDPT for 2004.
They would be inducted into office on Wednesday in the Board of Trustees meeting held under the chairmanship of outgoing FDPT Chairman Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh.
Addressing the Board meeting, FDPT Chairman-elect said he would try his best to develop the Faisalabad Dry Port and boost exports and imports activities.
He lauded the efforts of outgoing FDPT Chairman Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh and his team for maximising the exports and imports at the Faisalabad Dry Port during their one-year tenure in 2003, besides getting ISO-2000 certification and introduction of "On-line Tracking System" and One-Window Operation facility during this period.
Shehzad Ali Siddiqui also complimented former FDPT chairman Mian Mohammad Latif and MNA Chaudhry Mushtaq Ali Cheema for raising the status of the Faisalabad Dry Port that emerged the biggest dry port in the country.
Announcing his priorities, Shehzed Ali Siddiqui announced that as the chairman of the Trust, he will ensure discipline at the Dry Port, proper checking of the Karachi Terminal Office, re-constitution of different sub-committees, disposal of various contracts through public auction, purchase of top-lifters, and stackers, and afford maximum possible facilities to the exporters and importers. He categorically assured that in case of any serious irregularity in any department of the Trust, the in-charge and the manager of the Trust department concerned will be held responsible.
Earlier, Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh told the meeting that due to collective efforts of the office-bearers and Trustees, the Faisalabad Dry Port has emerged as biggest dry port of the country, as it handles 25,000 export cargo containers worth Rs 50 billion and 5,000 import containers having a value of Rs 25 billion.
He said on his initiative, the Member Customs CBR, Mohammad Ramzan Bhatti, has granted "Special Permission" to the Ibrahim Fibre, Faisalabad, for clearance of the imports at their factory premises while "Express Lane Facility, is also being extended to 12 leading importers-cum-exporters on our recommendation.
He said that CBR has already approved the establishment of the FDPT Sargodha Terminal to handle citrus and other rich fruits and vegetables, saying an 'empty containers terminal' is also being constructed near the Dry Port Plaza and "one-window operation" is provided in the multi-storeyed Plaza and Customs Facilitation Centre at the Faisalabad Dry Port.