Govt, goods transporters agree to form Joint Monitoring Committee

Mettis Global reported that the government wrapped up two days of talks with the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance in Islamabad, agreeing to set up a Joint Monitoring Committee made up of Customs officials and transporters. The panel will also look at short and long term steps to resolve difficulties transporters face when dealing with Customs authorities. The closing session was chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, who convenes the committee formed by the prime minister.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwaar joined by video link and pledged full cooperation from his ministry on maritime matters. Officials from the Federal Board of Revenue presented recommendations on the transporters' proposals, while Port and Shipping authorities and Karachi Port Trust briefed the gathering. Proposals linked to the National Highway Authority and Motorway Police were also on the agenda.

Abdul Aleem Khan instructed authorities to deal quickly with complaints about weigh stations and said modern facilities requiring minimal human involvement would be built on every motorway. The transporters' delegation praised the minister's efforts, and the group backed his axle-load policy, arguing the problem should be tackled at its origin through one uniform policy. The five-hour meeting also included discussions between Petroleum Ministry officials and transporter representatives.