KARACHI: Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, senior vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), has criticised Gerry’s dnata for imposing an ad hoc handling charge of Rs50 per kilogramme (excluding taxes) on export cargo, calling the move unfair, unilateral and damaging to Pakistan’s already strained export sector.
Magoon said exporters were already grappling with severe economic pressures, including a rising cost of doing business, record-high international freight rates and a challenging global market environment.
“In such circumstances, the sudden imposition of an additional handling fee will directly undermine the competitiveness of Pakistani products in international markets,” he said.Magoon noted that industry bodies such as the Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association (PIFFA) and the Air Cargo Agents Association of Pakistan (ACAAP) had also expressed serious reservations about the decision. He pointed out that a large share of Pakistan’s air cargo handling is routed through Gerry’s dnata facilities, leaving exporters with virtually no alternative options.
“As a result, exporters will be compelled to absorb this extra cost, which will particularly hurt time-sensitive exports that rely heavily on air freight,” he added.
The FPCCI leadership warned that unilateral and abrupt charges of this nature not only discourage exporters but also undermine the government’s broader efforts to boost exports. Magoon urged the federal government, the aviation ministry and other relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the issue and engage stakeholders to ensure that cargo handling charges remain fair, transparent and reasonable.
He also appealed to Minister for Aviation and Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif to review the matter and intervene to safeguard exporters’ interests. In addition, he called on the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to monitor the situation and prevent policies that impose unnecessary financial burdens on exporters.
Reaffirming the business community’s commitment to supporting the government’s export-enhancement agenda, he said exporters require stable, predictable and rational logistics costs to remain competitive in global markets.
“At a time when the country is striving to increase exports, any additional charges imposed on exporters must be carefully examined to ensure they do not weaken Pakistan’s export competitiveness,” he said.
