LAHORE, Nov 14: The customs clearing and forwarding agents continued their strike for the second day running on Wednesday to protest at the imposition of high duties on imports.

The Lahore Customs Agents Group has given a call for strike on Thursday as well because, according to them, the “authorities had failed to take an action against officials of the Lahore Dry Port responsible for the crisis”.

The dispute sprang up here on Tuesday after the customs officials allegedly “refused to accept the value of the dumpers as declared by the importer” and levied a higher duty than was claimed by the importer’s agent.

The agents called for a strike when the dispute was not settled by senior officers when approached by the LCAG.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry executive committee member Tanveer A. Malik told Dawn that the LCAG members would not deposit duties as long as action was not taken against the officials concerned.

Meanwhile, LCAG general secretary Ejaz Rasheed said in a news release later in the evening that the strike had been called off after successful talks with senior customs authorities who had assured them that their ‘legitimate’ demands would be accepted in seven days.