KARACHI, Sept 10: An international conference on trade logistics is being planned by the government in collaboration with private sector by the end of this year to create awareness of optimum use of infrastructure facilities and allied services.
There is growing concern amongst the policy markers that the private sector is not taking maximum advantage of modern trade logistics, which if put to maximum use could help propel trade.
The objective of this conference is to give exposure to trade and industry with world bodies, which directly deal with transport and shipping and other logistics and services such as freight forwarding and warehousing.
Presently, it is being felt that the private sector in Pakistan is not quick in reacting to the competitive pressure and requires a change in mindset to use best international logistics to their advantage.
There are about 24 global organisations and events, which are policy making forums on transport and shipping but Pakistan is not represented on any of them. This deprives the country of knowing and adopting latest developments and changes taking place in logistics and other matters related with trade.
Consequently, the conference will give an opportunity to local business community to come into interaction with such trade bodies, including US Commerce Department, European Union (EU) etc and to know modern logistics and services, which help trade to become efficient and cost effective.
Presently, there is nobody to challenge shipping lines when they increase freight charges so frequently. Whereas in China and India strong resistance is shown by the trade when such moves are made by shipping companies and are forced to withdraw the freight hike.
By improving logistics Pakistan could easily become a gateway for CIS states and could get containers traffic up to 700 boxes per day for these land locked countries.
The conference will be organised by the ministry of commerce in collaboration with Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association (PIFFA).
Babar Badat, chairman PIFFA said that while both the government and freight forwarding logistics industry was working to improve the environment the traders need to make efforts if they want to be part of today’s competitive global environment.
He said they must abreast themselves of international developments taking place in the freight and logistics industry so that they can move out of their age old uncompetitive practices and adopt modern freight forwarding and logistics systems to improve their trade.
With a rapid growth in Pakistani trade it has become inevitable that the entire logistics chain is upgraded to bring it to the international standards. Similarly development of infrastructure, necessary legislation on customs procedures and development of international freight forwarding and logistics industry was essential to become competitive in the world trade.
Mr Babar said that PIFFA was working with the government to streamline the freight forwarding and logistics industry. He said there were many misconceptions about freight forwarders, whereas globally they were being used by trade and industry to optimise their performance on getting their professional services.
He further said that there was nothing wrong with the House Bill of Lading (HBL), which was an essential service document because it facilitated freight contracting and end to end movement of goods.
In submitting documents to US Customs under the AMS system the name of the US consignee (buyer) as well as the local exporter (seller) is to be declared. Similarly, the shipping lines manifest also declares the names.
The PIFFA chief said that the HBL was an internationally traded document through, which a very large portion of the global container trade was handled. Major international buyers, he said, move their goods on this form of documentation.
