Customs agents on Wednesday staged a sit-in at the Qasim International Containers Terminal (QICT) in protest against the maladministration of QICT's management. Raising slogans against the management, the protestors demanded of the authorities to expedite the process of clearance at the maximum level to facilitate the stakeholders.
Talking to Business Recorder Senior Vice President All Pakistan Customs Agents Association (APCAA) Arshad Jamal said the clearing agents are facing a torrid time in getting consignments processed, particularly during examination. Despite several intimations to the management of the QICT, the examination process, which is supposed to be completed within six hours, is being done in days, leaving the agents with no other option but to protest against this maladministration, he said.
On the other hand, the General Secretary Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCCA) Khurram Ijaz has denied being a part of this protest and said some customs agents were staging the protest. He said the KCCA is of the view that staging a sit-in is not the way to resolve issues. Ijaz also said the association has started deliberations with the protesters as well as the management of the QICT to get the issues resolved.