ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: Pakistan has asked Lloyd’s Hull War Risk Committee in London to persuade its members to remove surcharge premium imposed on vessels coming to Pakistan, a senior government official said on Thursday.

“We have already contacted them through our commercial attaches, and conveyed our sentiment that the surcharge is unjustifiable,” said secretary communication Iftikhar Rasheed.

A formal delegation of the government would be proceeding to London some time next week to pursue Pakistan’s case on War Risk Insurance issue.

As a result of war risk insurance premium, the cost of containerised cargo through Pakistani ports has increased by $75 to $200 per TEU (tons equivalent unit). Currently, Pakistan has annual throughput of 650,000 TEU.

However, the government has dropped an earlier proposal to direct Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority to slash their marine tariff by 20 to 50 per cent.

“It would take far too long to push this through,” said secretary communication. Industry sources, however, said the port authorities were in no mood to reduce their tariff in view of their revenue loss.

But foreign shipping companies are trying now a days to create a cartel-like situation to benefit from in the long run, informed sources said.

Heads of shipping lines having their operation in Pakistan and the Persian Gulf are holding daily meetings to review their services.

These meetings in Singapore are to be followed up by meetings of regional general managers of lines in Dubai over the next fortnight.