LAHORE: Pakistan Africa Business Association (PABA) President Zafar Mehmood has said that exporters are facing huge problems at the sea and dry ports as without paying kickbacks they cannot get their exports cleared from the customs authorities.
“Kickbacks are compulsory in order to get exporters’ containers load on ships at all ports, including Port Qasim. In the name of examination our consignments are marked that leads to missing of our vessels and extensive delays. Our shipments are held and without paying to the customs authorities we cannot get our containers loaded on the ships,” he told Customs Today.
Even regular exporters consignments are marked to force the exporters to pay money, he disclosed.
“We were optimistic that after formation of the new government our issues would be resolved but it did not happen even till today,” Mehmood spoke out.
He added that the exporters have to face enormous barriers from Lahore to Karachi including undue holding of their consignments and brokerage of their goods and articles by the officials.
He urged the Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Tariq Bajwa and Member Customs Nisar Ahmad Khan to take notice of the matter and ensure transparency at the Sea and Dry Ports in order to enhance exports.
