President Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Mian Anjum Nisar has urged the Chairman KPT, Vice-Admiral Ahmad Hayyat, to restore the facility of getting imported items cleared in 14 days so as to save importers from hardships.
In a press statement issued here on Wednesday, the LCCI President said that earlier importers had the facility to get their goods cleared at Karachi in 14 days, but two months before this period was reduced to seven days only. After seven days, KPT start imposing demurrage on the articles due to which importers from all over the country is facing problems.
Mainly the import is conducted through Karachi and the majority of the importers from remote areas do not have their offices in Karachi, therefore, there is always a chance of some delay in getting the goods cleared, he observed.
He pointed out that that 85 percent goods imported for up country are cleared at Karachi Port Trust. Now the volume of imports is increasing every year, he said, adding last year goods worth US 12.3 billion dollars were imported while till June 2004, importers had imported goods worth US 15.4 billion dollars.
He demanded that the period for clearance of goods should be enhanced to 14 days and all the departments should remove irritants in the way of doing business. Anjum Nisar also welcomed the statement of chairman Central Board of Revenue (CBR) calling for reducing cargo charges at Port Qasim.