KARACHI: The importers, traders and clearing agents have expressed their deep concerns and anxiety over the delay in grounding the containers/consignments for examination at Karachi International Containers Terminal (KICT).
The importers while sharing their views with Customs Today said that they were facing immense problems in examination of their consignments which were laying at KICT for last three to four days.
They informed this scribe that the shortage of labourer staff at the KICT terminal was creating hindrance in clearing their consignments and the delay compelled them to pay extra amount in share of demurrage charges on clearing on their consignments.
Sources at the terminal informed Customs Today that the KICT administration has handed over the contract of labourer staff to a new company, which was a main reason of the nuisance.
“The newly introduced contract company has shortage of man-power which is ultimately putting adverse effects on the process of examination and the back-log of the consignments has been piled up at KICT examination area,” the sources revealed.
When contacted, the Collector of MCC Appraisement-West Muhammad Saleem has confirmed that the KICT administration has given the contract of the labourers at KICT to a new company and the said company took over the operations in examination area from last Monday.
He further said that the process of clearance of the consignments at examination area of KICT has been improving since Thursday morning and it will further improve with the passage of time.
To a query, the Collector further said that Pakistan Customs is aware of the problems in examination of consignments and has been discussing the matter with the KICT authorities.
