ISLAMABAD: The Revenue Division and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the first time in the history issued rules for shipping agents those now have been restrained from taking extra charges except freight charges under Rules 603 (q) (r).
The agents can receive extra charges in case both exporter and shipping lines have mentioned these charges on bill of landing, airway bill and bill of freight with mutual understanding.
Under Rule 607 (c), the receiving of any charges like delivery charges, THC, import collection insurance, advance rent and cleaning charges by any company, will lead to cancellation of its licence.
All Pakistan Merchants Association Chairman Muhammad Anees has asked the traders, especially exporters to not pay the illegal charges to the, besides urging them to aware the association, if any company or agent demanded extra charges. Following the complaint, the association will take measure against the company.
APMA Secretary General Faisal Iqbal said that receiving of extra charges was started during the tenure of Pervez Musharraf when Babar Ghouri was shipping minister, adding that Rs 7,000 per containers was collected then.
Later, the Pakistan Peoples Party’s government continued the process and now Rs 15,000 were received per container. The APMA has hailed the steps of Revenue Division and FBR for facilitating the traders.
