Adviser assures demurrage solution within 24 hours

KARACHI: Adviser to PM on Finance and Revenue Hafeez Shaikh on Thursday vowed to resolve issues related to demurrage and detention charges in a day and assured businessmen of refunds settlement within a stipulated timeframe.

“Progress in waiver of demurrage and detention charges would be made within next 24 hours,” Shaikh said addressing a video-link virtual meeting with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

The meeting was told that 20,000 containers could not be cleared at the ports within the specified time period due to lockdown after the coronavirus.

Karachi port, which handles 76 percent of cargoes, had seen containers pile up with the traders not furnishing essential documents to get their consignments cleared due to lack of goods transportation amid coronavirus-led lockdown.

In response to inordinate delay in income tax, sales tax and export related refunds, the adviser said refunds would be made to all – exporters or non-exporters – within the stipulated time frame. “Otherwise he (adviser) may be contacted and informed,” he was quoted as saying in a statement. Cheques of Rs40 billion refunds have been issued to the taxpayers, he added.

The adviser said he would hold a joint meeting with the FPCCI and chairman of the industrial zone authority to take decision on establishment of the industrial zone. He invited FPCCI team to discuss the issue of levying duty on the basis of cascading principle.

In response to withdrawal of regulatory duty on import of tyres due to which tyre import has gone into smuggling regime, Shaikh said tyre importers would get news. He, appreciating the FPCCI pre-budget proposals, said these are very comprehensive and would be discussed in detail in joint meeting with Hammad Azhar, minister for industries and production, Razak Dawood, adviser to PM for commerce, textile and investment and FPCCI.

Zakaria Usman, convener of the FPCCI Budget Advisory Council said the customs tariff should be levied on the basis of cascading to curb post-budget anomalies. Import substitution industries and export of non-traditional items, establishment of value-added industries and promotion of branding should be encouraged. He also invited attention of the adviser to 6,000-7,000 motor vehicles, which were stuck due to non-availability of encashment certificate because the international flights were not operational and the concerned diaspora could not come to Pakistan. Land should be given to the investors at cheaper rate for establishment of industries within two years otherwise the land should be confiscated.

The FPCCI chief appreciated the adviser for making huge payments to the taxpayers of their refund claims.