Lifting of imported urea from Gwadar port: TCP protests against NFML

[Naveed Yaseen]

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD (November 26 2009): The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has registered a protest with National Fertiliser Marketing Limited (NFML), a subsidiary of Industries Ministry, over the slow pace of lifting of imported urea from Gwadar Port, sources in Industries Ministry told Business Recorder.

According to Minister for Industries and Production, Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, the government is importing 0.6 million tons of urea from different countries to plug the deficiency. TCP's stevedores, Waqar & Co and Portstar Enterprises, have said that NFML is not providing sufficient transport for lifting of the imported urea discharged at Gwadar Port.

Moreover, a huge quantity of urea is lying uncovered on the ground, sources added. Keeping in view the situation, TCP's fact-finding team, comprising Director, Commercial-II, along with General Manager (POD) and General Manager (Godowns) visited Gwadar Port on November 21, 2009.

Sources said that the team observed that a huge quantity, of about 80,000 tons of urea was lying on the ground in the open area at the port which would rise to 100,000 tons during the next few days as a new consignment is scheduled to reach the port. The fact-finding team expressed concern over the transport situation and expected that it might get more critical due to the coming Eid holidays.

On enquiry, it was noted that not a single truck for lifting of urea was available at the port. Also, no representative of NFML was present to monitor this situation on the spot, sources quoted Acting Chairman of TCP, Ghulam Nabi Mangrio, as saying in a letter to Industries Secretary Abdul Ghaffar Memon.

As reported by the TCP Regional Office, Gwadar, and other agencies, the rainy season is approaching Gwadar area by the first week of December and heavy rains, followed by thunderstorm, are expected, which may cause damage to the cargo valued at approximately Rs 2420.088 million, if it is not lifted on time.

"We have requested the concerned agency besides the Industries Ministry to make arrangements for lifting of imported urea from Gwadar Port on war-footing in the best interest of the country and to save the cargo from damage/loss, failing which the NFML will be held responsible for all consequences," said TCP spokesman Khizar Hayat while talking to this correspondent from Karachi.

According to the agreement between the TCP and NFML, the latter is bound to make arrangements for transportation and packing bags for imported urea. Sources said that the TCP Chairman, at a meeting on November 2, 2009, presided over by the Minister for Industries and Production, had stated that as per government policy TCP had requested NFC to purchase bags for dispatch of 0.6 million tons of imported urea.

There was clearly lack of communication and co-ordination on this issue between the two. The meeting decided that NFML has no objection to the utilisation of 2.2 million WPP bags lying with the TCP at Gwadar Port and NFML has also agreed to purchase more bags at the rates purchased by the TCP.

It was also decided that in case the bags were not made available in time then the demurrage on the vessel, if any, will be borne by NFML. There were unconfirmed reports that procurement of bags was not transparent, but Industries Minister denied the charges, saying that the process was transparent. It is pertinent to mention here that imported urea will be distributed through NFML dealers network.

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