KARACHI: Commodity stakeholders have said that consumers may face problems in getting food items owing to detention of vehicles by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in various areas.

They said these officials are creating hurdles in smooth supply of rice, pulses and sugar despite clear orders from the Sindh government for keeping retail and wholesale shops open as well as ensuring uninterrupted food supplies to avert any crisis in view of the lockdown of Sindh because of the coronavirus scare.

Anis Majeed of the Karachi Wholesalers and Grocers Association said that commodity wholesalers at Dandia and Jodia bazaars had opened their businesses on Tuesday despite facing problems such as holding of loaded vehicles in the Sindh border areas.

He said he had informed the Karachi commissioner on Monday about the non-clearance of loaded vehicles at Qambar-Shahdadkot and Hyderabad for Karachi.

He said wholesalers are also facing problems as LEA officials are not allowing loading and unloading of food items at warehouses and godowns at Hawkesbay and SITE.

“Holding up of trucks would create a shortage of food items in the markets,” said Mr Majeed, adding that LEA officials are not clearing vehicles mentioning the intercity ban.

Besides, problems in clearance of imported essential food items had also emerged on Tuesday with the closing of shipping lines’ offices.

He said clearing agents took the original documents for pulses from bank after making payment and then went to shipping lines’ offices to get delivery orders but they found the shipping offices closed.

Anis Majeed said he had taken up the matter with the maritime secretary to resolve the issue.

Chairman of the standing committee on Customs of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Shabbir Mansha Chhurra, has urged the government to defer port charges and late duty payment fines until the country overcomes the emergency situation created by the coronavirus.

“The goods arriving at the ports have to pay duty within 10 days, but due to the lockdown, the importers are unable to pay the duty on time, and they have to pay a daily fine, which may be as much as Rs100,000,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2020