FPCCI Warns Dnata’s Ad-Hoc Cargo Charges Hurting Pakistan’s Export Competitiveness

By Muhammad Shahzad | Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, Chairman BMP-Progressive and Senior Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), has strongly criticized Gerry’s Dnata for imposing an ad-hoc handling charge of Rs50 per kilogram (excluding taxes) on export cargo, calling the move unfair, unilateral, and harmful to Pakistan’s already strained export sector.
In a statement, Magoon said exporters are already facing severe economic pressures, including rising business costs, 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) have also expressed serious reservations over the decision.
He pointed out that a significant 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 additional 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 increase exports.
Magoon urged the federal government, the aviation ministry, and 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 Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for Aviation and Defence, to review the matter and intervene to safeguard exporters’ interests. Additionally, he called on the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to monitor the situation and prevent policies that place unnecessary financial burdens on exporters.
Reaffirming the business community’s commitment to supporting the government’s export-enhancement agenda, Magoon stressed that 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 concluded.