HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) on Mon­day urged Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order the release of all those imported goods that landed at Karachi Port before May 19.

In a statement, HCSTSI President Altaf Memon said that the government had banned imported goods in May, but importers’ consignments uploaded for transportation on May 17 and 18 reached Karachi after this ban’s decision.

He said that concerned banks had stopped the process of imports and importers were now bearing demurrages and detection charges at the rate of $100 per day, which was a huge burden given the present economic conditions of the country. He added that most of the imported goods were edibles and daily consumption items. He feared these goods, worth tens of millions of rupees, could face contamination at the port.

He said that due to the non-seriousness of Pakistan, the government dollar’s upward journey continued unendingly. He said that importers were finding it hard to bear demurrages and detection charges in dollars, which were unbearable for them.

He maintained that these charges were not benefiting the government and that only importers were bearing losses. He urged the PM to allow the release of imported goods that reached Karachi Port on May 19 to save the business community.

Published in Dawn,June 21st, 2022