November 11, 2001	Sunday	Shaba’an 24, 1422

ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: As many as 900 containers of Pakistani export goods are awaiting anthrax clearance at the United States and European ports.

Although the containers were off-loaded on various American and European ports, they were yet to be cleared for the respective importers, official sources told Dawn on Saturday.

The anthrax clearance has added to Pakistan economic woes, as it is already facing huge trade deficit as well as a total dried up foreign investment chances as result of September 11 tragedy as officials estimated about 2 to 3 billion US dollars shortfall in the national economy during the current financial year.

“There were anti-Pakistan sentiments in America due to media campaign, and people refused to buy products with the ‘Made in Pakistan’ tag,” the source said.

According to the source, since September 11, the Pakistani exporters were facing difficulties in getting visas, which again affected their export orders as well.

The provisional figures compiled by the CBR till Saturday revealed that the total value of exports has been declined by over 14 per cent in October, which stood at $842 million this year against $979 million over the corresponding period of last year.

Explaining the impact of the current situation on the country’s export, the source said that Pakistan had to send cargo to Dubai via ship and then airlifted to Europe and America, while buyers in Europe particularly in America cancelled their order and many of them directed Pakistan exporters to put shipments on hold.

Moreover, the war risk surcharge was imposed on export cargo, foreign shipping lines increased the freight, proceeds were withheld by the foreign buyers causing liquidity crunch to Pakistani exporters and a number of textile garment units were reportedly closed down.