Non-availability of dollars: No eatables, drinks to be imported from June 25, say grocers

KARACHI: Commercial importers have announced to stop the import of all eatables and drinks from June 25 due to the non-provision of dollars.

The Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association Secretary, Farhat Siddique, has issued a statement for body members, saying that all banks have refused to provide them with dollars. He said the association in this regard held a meeting in which all importers and indenting agents participated. After a thorough discussion, it was decided that importers should inform their indenters that no shipment should be dispatched after June 25. According to the statement, the importers are only responsible for the clearance of goods that have reached the port or are on the way. No shipment would be cleared that was dispatched after June 25. The Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association said that due to lack of foreign currency, thousands of containers are stuck at the port and they are paying fines and other charges on them.

The statement said the State Bank of Pakistan is not providing the much-needed foreign exchange and its policies are extremely harmful to the country’s economy.