LAHORE: Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) held an emergency press conference against the sudden increase in air cargo ground handling charges.
On this occasion, exporters, air cargo agents, and members of the business community jointly termed the additional charges illegal, unethical, and harmful to exports, demanding their immediate withdrawal.
LCCI President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol said that Pakistan is already struggling to remain competitive in the region because the cost of doing business has become very high. As a result, industries are facing difficulties and export growth has slowed down. He said that instead of reducing business costs, the sudden imposition of new charges is a serious setback for the export sector.
He stated that two companies providing ground handling services for export cargo at international airports imposed an additional charge of Rs. 50 per kilogram without consulting stakeholders or taking the government into confidence. He described the decision as surprising and unacceptable, adding that it violates regulatory procedures and international norms.
The LCCI President said, Pakistan Airports Authority had issued clear instructions to immediately stop the additional charges and asked the companies to explain under which authority the charges were imposed. However, he expressed regret that the companies were still ignoring these directives. He stressed that strict action should be taken against any organization that openly violates government orders.
He announced that the Lahore Chamber fully supports the Air Cargo Agents Association of Pakistan and will raise the issue at every forum to ensure the withdrawal of the additional charges. He also urged the Ministry of Commerce and the Pakistan Airports Authority to take immediate notice and initiate action against the responsible companies.
Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Executive Committee Members Rana Shaban Akhtar, Malik Asif, Syed Salman Ali, Mohsin Bashir, Chairman Pakistan International Freight Forwarding Association Jameel Ahmed, Mian Abdul Hannan, Kashif Malik, Ejaz Ghouri, Tauqeer Malik, Muhammad Usman, Amir Munir, and representatives of various trade and export organizations were also present at the press conference.
Chairman of the Air Cargo Agents Association of Pakistan, Rana Tariq Mahmood, said that the ground handling companies imposed additional charges without legal approval, even though they are appointed by airlines and payments are made directly by airlines. He explained that cargo handling costs have been managed under a fixed system for decades and no operational changes have occurred that justify an increase in charges.
He added that nearly 700 tons of cargo are handled daily at different airports, and the Rs. 50 per kilogram increase has placed an additional financial burden worth millions of rupees per day on exporters. According to him, exporters will ultimately bear this cost, making Pakistani products less competitive in international markets.
Rana Tariq Mahmood announced that air cargo agents and related associations have decided that if the additional charges are not withdrawn by midnight, cargo handling operations across the country will be suspended. No new cargo bookings will be made and no air waybills will be issued. He also said that customs clearing agents have joined the protest, while other sectors are considering joining the strike.
Chairman Pakistan International Freight Forwarding Association, Jamil Ahmed, said that the sudden increase in cargo handling charges would further damage Pakistan’s fragile export sector and create serious operational difficulties for freight forwarders.
The press conference was informed that meat exporters have already stopped work in protest, and other export sectors may also suspend operations if the issue is not resolved immediately. Participants warned that if such unilateral decisions are allowed to continue, more illegal charges could be imposed in the future, seriously harming Pakistan’s exports and economy.
The Lahore Chamber called on the government to intervene immediately and provide relief to the export sector.
