FAISALABAD: Pakistan Tehreek Insaf-led federal government must do justice with importers by taking action against financial crimes committed by Qasim International Port Terminal (QICT) and M/s Maersk Pakistan Pvt Ltd without further delay. The QICT and shipping lines for years kept on taking extra demurrage and detention charges even after issuance of the certificate by customs authorities.
This was said by Advocate Muhammad Younas Baig while talking with Customs Today at Faisalabad. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is striving to eliminate corrupt practices and it should also act to file reference against QICT and Maersk shipping line for taking extra detention and demurrage charges from importers. He said it is a violation of shipping business rules to take undocumented taxes from importers which is a crime of serious notion and causes further losses to national economy.
Younas Baig further said that importers hugely suffer due to unavailability of goods as they lose credibility and reputation in the market. Faisalabad importers also suffer on the hands of slow Customs clearance of consignments imported through Maersk shipping line at Dry Port Faisalabad despite delayed arrival of consignments from QICT. He said new technology needs to be utilised for satisfaction of importers during inquiry of their goods and duties applied on them. The government’s prime duty is to ensure the business community that their money and goods are in safe hands.
According to SRO 1 220(I)/2015 shipping companies and terminal operators cannot charge any demurrage and detention fee where specifically it has not been agreed and also specifically not mentioned on the Bill of Lading. Section 14A of the Customs Act 1969 also says the importer cannot be forced to pay any demurrage or detention charges if the Customs gives a certificate to the importer called the Delay and Detention Certificate. Despite having the certificate the importers goods are held illegally for demanding heavy demurrage.
Younas Baig further expressed that leadership of Imran Khan government will be tested upon taking actions against such mega scams of corruption. The government must stand with importers and do not need to tolerate any injustice with importers. Soon the matter will be discussed with high-ups of government and complete justice will be done with importers in the mega scandal of demurrage and detention charges, he said.
Younas Baig added that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should start an inquiry against the alleged collection of demurrage and detention charges from the importers following complaints against the shipping lines and port terminals by importers from all over Pakistan.
