KARACHI: A sudden change in Green Channel parameters by the Customs Department has left thousands of containers stuck at the port, causing importers heavy financial losses while shipping companies and terminal operators cash in on their plight.

If delays in the clearance of consignments continue, the supply of medicines, including medical devices, steel, and pulses will be badly affected.

This development has resulted in significant delays and inefficiency in the clearance of imports.

Changes to the Risk Management System (RMS) criteria have led to a drastic decline in Green Channel clearance rates — from over 47 per cent to below 26pc. This has brought about an unprecedented rise in the number of containers marked for examination and assessment, overwhelming terminal operators and assessment officers. Importers now face delays of up to four days in grounding containers, followed by another two to three days for examination and assessment.

Khurram Ejaz, a former vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement that assessment officers were already overburdened with litigation matters, leaving them with little time for a proper assessment. The absence of a separate litigation department compounds the matter. This enforcement-heavy approach inadvertently affects most importers — a cohort critical to economic growth.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2024