Saturday, January 31, 2009

Cement Export to India Drastically dropped

India alleged Pakistan smuggling RDX in cement consignments
Indian businessman rules out the allegation

By Jawwad Rizvi
LAHORE: Cement export to India has drastically declined after imposition of non tariff barrier by Indian government and allegation of RDX smuggling through cement consignment from Pakistan.
On January 3 2009 India government had imposed 20 per cent import duty on Pakistan’s cement as non tariff barrier to discourage its import from Pakistan. The Indian government had also restrained their importers not to give fresh cement import orders to Pakistan.
Their fresh orders can be cancelled anytime which will stick their money they used in opening the LCs. The News has found following the Indian government non tariff barriers quantity of cement exported to Indian from Pakistan has drastically reduced.
Pakistan had exported only 50,841 metric tones cement to India through land and sea route in December 2008 and only 9200 metric tones in January 2009. In December 2008 Pakistan had sent 11,500 metric tones cement to India through sea and 39,300 metric tones through wagha border on rail. Similarly, in January 2009 only 3800 metric tones cement had transported through rail route and 5400 metric tones through sea route.
Meanwhile, Indian media has reported that Police and security agencies here have got a specific alert — from the police of a North Indian state — about RDX having been smuggled into the country as part of a cement consignment from Pakistan and the target being an oil refinery.
It has reported in Time of India more RDX could be coming in as part of cement or other consignments. That explained the reaction by Delhi Police and Mumbai Police during the days following the terror attacks on Mumbai. The two closest refineries to Delhi are at Panipat and Mathura. But most of the major refineries are near the coast, including those at Vishakhapatnam, Paradip and Jamnagar. The alert also mentioned railways as a possible “soft target''.
Several ports, especially those in Vishakhapatnam and Ennore (Tamil Nadu), were also on a high alert on Tuesday. Shipping officials met home ministry and IB officials reported in Indian media.
The media has further reported that security was stepped up at all railway stations in National Capital Region following the threat. The police deployed extra Quick Reaction Teams at New Delhi railway station and other stations.
Anand Visahl running a private company in Mumabi with the name of Vishal industries told this correspondent that their government had issued instructions to the importer to minimize import from Pakistan. Cement is the main item which is Indian are importing from Pakistan due to its fine quality and high demand, he mentioned. However, now the Indian media had reported that RDX is being smuggled through cement consignments from Pakistan, which is astonishing for the industry that how Pakistani could smuggled RDX in their international cement consignments, he remarked. He further said it is not possible that Pakistan could move RDX in its international cargo consignments.
When The News contacted Chairman, All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) Gen (Rtd) Rehmat Khan strongly protested on the new item appeared in “The Times of India” that RDX being smuggled into India with cement from Pakistan and the target being oil refinery.
“The news item is totally baseless and having no truth in it. The news is based on bad intention as it is technically impossible to pack any thing other than cement in a cement bag”, Rehmat said. It is also pertinent to understand the logistic involved in the export of cement, had any one who has any idea of cement manufactured or logistics of export he would never even think of such a possibility. It is assumed that some elements in India who are against any trade between the two countries are resort such frivolous and technically unsound allegation”, Rehmat remarked.
Gen (Rtd) Rehmat Khan said the cement manufacturers of Pakistan have been exporting cement to the Middle East, South Africa, Djibouti, Sudan and many other countries since 2002 and all the cement manufacturers are the responsible citizen. It is an intentional effort to de-stabilize the hard won export market for Pakistani cement and Pakistani manufacturers are urging the government to disallow the export of cement to India otherwise they will himself stop the export of cement to India. Rehmat further said “it is a matter of pride for us that quality of Pakistani cement is far better than Indian cement and it is not only acknowledged by Bureau of Indian Standards but the world market as well”.

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