MULTAN: Establishment of Export Display Centre in will boost commercial activities and shipments clearance at Multan Dry Port. “There is vast difference in evaluation of goods by Customs Department at Multan dry port and Karachi Port and this discriminative behaviour of the authorities had forced importers and exporters to do business through Karachi,” said Khawaja Muhammad Hussain President of Multan Dry Port Trust (MDPT).
He was talking to Customs Today on other day in his office regarding the clearance process at Multan Dry Port. He said the main purpose to establish dry ports was to facilitate local industry so that business community could get their goods without any difficulty, but the customs officials by taking advantage, charge traders arbitrarily instead of following any rules.
Khawaja Muhammad Hussain said that due to non-availability of Railway locomotives, less cargo bogies and lack of any particular formula for evaluation of goods at Multan dry port, business community was facing severe problems. It is observed that NLC was charging highly exorbitant handling goods with irrational. He said that Multan Dry Port had failed to attract importers from Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Vehari, Rajanpur and many other cities due to discriminatory attitude of Customs officials, as they preferred to clear their import consignments in Karachi.
The clearance of goods at the Multan dry port is very expensive because customs officials determine cost of the goods much higher than those in Karachi. While highlighting the concerns, he said Customs Clearance Procedure at Multan Customs is very slow and sometimes it takes three to four days usually and if any kind of dispute arises then there is no time limit. The Collectorate Customs in Multan is not ready to give the rightful duty benefit to poultry industry. He said the business community in general and importers in particular face hardships in clearance of goods at the Multan dry port that was established with the sole objective to facilitate the upcountry areas.
He was of the view that there should be uniformity in evaluation of imported goods in Multan and Karachi. Collector Customs has assured that grievances of the traders and business community would be redressed immediately and an Additional Collector Custom Appraisement was deputed at Multan Dry Port and he would be available anytime at site.
He said that lack of professionalism is main hurdle in the way to clearance but “we would now provide Karachi like facilities in Multan.” He asked the staff not to harass or victimise anyone and they should perform their duties with dedication and politeness. He urged upon the importers and exporters to get clear their clearance at Multan dry port and not to waste their time and money in Karachi. He said “to ease the rush at Karachi Sea Ports, the government decided to set up a chain of upcountry dry ports to provide the custom clearance facilities at the door step of exporters, importers.”
He said that Member Customs has assured that past mistakes would not be repeated and qualitative services would be provided to them and assured he would raise the issue of dual port wharfage in Multan to attract the importers and rebate payment procedure would be made easy and simple. He further assured that all checks in WEBOC system would be removed for early clearance of consignments.
Chairman Multan Dry Port Trust (MDPT) Khawaja Muhammad Hussain said that Pakistan railway has agreed to provide transportation facilities at Sher shah Junction station and we are building an infra-structure providing company to facilitate the exporters and importers for smooth clearance through economical transport.
He said that in the financial year 2021, Multan Dry Port Trust has exported goods worth Rs.1153 million and handled imports worth Rs. 342 million in the current financial year.The Multan Dry Port, once a symbol of growing economic activity in the country, has almost been deserted with a dip in exports, high provincial taxes, red tape and unresolved logistical issues, forcing traders to look at Karachi for cargo movement and handling. Global Pandemic COVID-19 also caused hindrance in the clearance of the import and export shipments at Multan Dry Port. Multan Dry Port Trust (MDPT) is facing severe financial issues due to decline in import clearances after the imposition of Punjab infrastructure levy. The levy has also put negative impact on the clearances of import consignments from Multan Dry Port after imposition of 0.9% PIDC along with Covid-19.
Local manufacturers and importers are avoiding their import clearances from Multan Dry Port after the imposition of Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess. He said that Multan Dry Port Trust is also handling less import containers from average numbers after the imposition of Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess.
Chairman Multan Dry Port Trust demanded from Prime Minister Imran Khan that he should announce special incentives to importers and exporters for the promotion of business activities at Multan Dry Port.
