KARACHI, Jan 1: A large number of export consignments of textile goods could not meet the deadline of December 31, 2004 , because of road blocks on the eve of new year hampering smooth flow of traffic. This resulted in long delays of the trucks loaded with containers in reaching the Quaid-e-Azam terminal for the airlifting of the cargo.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) through public notice issued on December 23, 2004, fixed December 31, 2004, as last date for availing freight subsidy to those categories which came under US Customs embargo.
In the absence of reconciliation of quotas by the EPB, a large number of exporters were still holding valid quotas in their Category Passbooks (CPB). But the US customs in middle of November 2004 had to impose embargo on recording over shipments in most of the fast running categories.
After a lot of hue and cry from exporters because of indecision on part of high-ups of the EPB, who could not judge the seriousness of the issue where millions of dollars of exporters were at stake and on the intervention of Ministry of Commerce it was finally decided that those exporters who could not avail their quotas will be given airfreight subsidy for shipments being made between January 1 to 20, 2005.
Last date of receiving consignments was fixed as December 31, 2004, but the exporters asked the ministry of commerce to extend the date for couple of days which was refused.
But the city government, to avoid any untoward incident, besides taking other necessary measures on the new year eve, erected barricades, which hampered the smooth flow of vehicular traffic particularly of heavy and loaded trucks with containers.
Consequently a very large number of export consignments could not reach before mid-night of December 31, 2004, and EPB officials debarred all such loads from being cleared and accepted for airlifting.
Chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) Aslam Ahmed Karsaz told Dawn that export goods worth millions of dollars could not be exported as the EPB officials were reluctant to take a prudent decision of allowing such containers which entered the airport premises.
Despite the fact that all other government departments, including customs, PIA and clearing agents were ready to handle and clear all those containers which somehow reached the terminal but the Director General Textile EPB Javeed Anwar Khan did not allow their clearance and closed the registration exactly by mid-night of December 31, 2004.
Mr Karsaz argued that if an official of the EPB do not want to be pragmatic and in favour of promotion of exports then who else would be? He further said that at a time when officials of other government departments including Deputy Collector Customs Mr Jamil Baloch and PIA authorities were ready to accommodate such containers then why the DG Textiles was reluctant to cooperate.
As a result of this, he said, exporters would not alone suffer but it will also cost the national exchequer from much needed revenue and foreign exchange earning, besides brining bad name for the country as foreign buyers will also suffer on this account.