The Pakistan Shippers Council (PSC) is one of the Standing Committees of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI). It is governed by its own constitution. The main object of PSC is to provide and further the interests of exporters and importer in Pakistan in relation to the transportation of goods by sea, land and air.

The membership of PSC is very diversified, including individuals, companies, and associations. The Board of Directors is chaired currently by Mr. Abdul Rasheed Janmohammed.

PSC has been very active in creating awareness amongst the shippers whenever any new mode of transport is introduced in the market. It has the privilege of creating awareness about promoting the culture of containerization when it was introduced in Pakistan. Similarly, PSC played a leading role in helping the trade vis-à-vis the concept of “port as landlord” which was instrumental in the creation of container terminals at Port Karachi as well as Port Qasim. The PSC also advocated for the introduction of bonded carriers in the private sector which was instrumental in increasing the road transport.

The Pakistan Shippers Council is also member of Association of Shippers Councils of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and played contributing role in protecting the shippers’ interest in the region.

In Pakistan the main problems faced by shippers is exorbitant charges charged by the shipping lines and ship agents in addition to the freight. In this context PSC played a leading role and was instrumental in convincing the Government of Pakistan particularly Ministry of Communication in forming the Shipping Rates Advisory Board (SRAB).

Since 1989, when the World Bank organized the first workshop on trade facilitation in Karachi with the cooperation of Karachi Port Trust, PSC has taken a keen interest in trade facilitation. PSC was instrumental in organizing, with the cooperation of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the 1994 Multimodal Transport Conference which marked a turning point in later facilitation activities and led to the identification of a Trade and Transport Facilitation Project with the support of Ministry of Commerce.

In agreement with Ministry of Commerce, PSC has established the office of National Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee (NTTFC) Secretariat in August 2001 which is operational for all practical purposes. The Trade and Transport Facilitation Project, which started in August 2001, is perhaps the first of its kind as a public/private partnership. The creation of NTTFC Secretariat in the premises of FPCCI has proved to be a vehicle in promoting the facilitation work being carried out by UNCTAD under this project. It has been an honour for the PSC to be identified by the main stakeholders as a partner in private sector. The PSC has not only contributed in kind but also in cash to promote the activities of NTTFC Secretariat.

The project of trade facilitation is very significant from the point of removing obstacles in the trade procedures and also from the point of increasing competitiveness of Pakistani products in the world market.

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