Keeping in view the acute shortage of wheat in the country, Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) is taking every possible step to overcome the problem on priority basis. Presently two ships namely MV Force Ranger and MV Siam Pearl carrying 41,000 and 32,900MT wheat respectively are under discharge at Karachi Port Trust (KPT), while seven more ships, carrying approximately 296,000 MT wheat, are expected to reach early next week.
TCP Chairman Muhammad Saeed Khan called on major enlisted stevedores and transporters, engaged in handling and transportation of the wheat imported by TCP, to discuss the measures to ensure prompt delivery of the same at ultimate destinations according to respective allocations. About four stevedores and 10-12 transporters participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, the TCP Chairman was apprised that main difficulty creating hurdle in prompt disposal of the job, is slow weighing, as the only weigh-bridge of KPT, is not working properly.
To redress the problem, the TCP Chairman allowed two more weigh-bridges (ie Gul Bai Weigh-bridge and Islami Weigh-bridge) and directed the stevedores and transporters to get their respective job complete on priority basis preferably within three days. In case of any un-necessary delay, the concerned responsible authority would be liable to pay heavy penalty, he added.
He also stressed the concerned transporters to immediately lift their allocated quantity lying at the Port, otherwise the same would be re-allocated to some other parties in order to avoid further congestion there. All the stevedores and transporters, present in the meeting, assured the TCP Chairman that they would leave no stone unturned to ensure the disposal of their respective job well in time.-PR