KARACHI, May 20: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) chief assured exporters on Monday that cases pertaining to issuance of double bill of lading (D/L) by freight forwarders would be taken up, and it would be ensured that there is no violation of law.

Speaking at a luncheon meeting, organised by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA), FIA Director-General Mir Zubair Mehmood said if law allows issuance of single bill of lading instead of double as being practised by freight forwarders, the FIA as a custodian of law would ensure that the law is implemented.

He assured the exporters that their and country’s interests would be fully protected as it involves foreign exchange and the FIA will take up such cases if they fall under criminal activity.

Mir Zubari Mehmood suggested to the PHMA members to hold meetings with the representative body of the freight forwarders and if necessary he could also help them arrange such parleys on the issue.

PHMA chairman M Jawed Bilwani alleged that consolidators/freight forwarding agents, in connivance with shipping lines, had been issuing House Bill of Lading to exporters which carries no title, and the Carrier or Master Bill of Lading is not issued which results in delivery of shipped goods directly to foreign buyers by the counterpart abroad of the consolidator or freight forwarding agents without settling payments, and it ultimately causes losses to Pakistani exporters.

“Exporters on the one hand suffer losses on not getting any payment from foreign buyers against their exports, and on the other the State Bank of Pakistan invokes law for remittance of export proceeds.

Many small and medium-sized units of value-added sector, Mr Bilwani said, have closed down owing to such incidents.

Pakistan Apparel Forum (PAF) chairman M Naqi Bari said that exports worth $4 billion made by apparel sector were being cheated through malpractices where two documents are being used for one shipment, and it was being done only to change the ownership of export goods.

Pakistan Knitwear Sweater Association (Paksea) chairman Rafiq Godil said exporters have been fighting for the last many years to protect their and country’s interests, but no government institution was ready to come forward to their assistance. He further stated that while the Master Bill of Lading carries a name of exporter, the same is omitted from the House Bill of Lading issued by consolidator or freight forwarding agent.

Mr Godil estimated that around $50 to $60 million worth of exports annually become victim of such fraudulent acts committed by freight forwarders who release goods without realising export proceeds.

FIA’s Additional Director S M Shujaat Ali informed the participants that four cases where no export proceeds have been remitted owing to release of goods without getting payment from buyers abroad have been picked up by the FIA so far. He further stated that in two cases FIA was successful in getting the dues amount realised.