LAHORE: A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday at the Gerry Dnata warehouse located at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore. At least eight fire brigade and rescue vehicles were deployed to the scene, and efforts were made to bring the blaze under control. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, but the fire resulted in significant damage to the consignments stored in the warehouse. According to sources, all the goods were destroyed in the fire. The incident has sparked a controversy, with Customs clearing agents expressing their frustration over the delay in processing Goods Declarations (GDs) by the Pakistan Customs appraisers. They claim that the pending GDs led to undue delays, resulting in demurrages and ultimately, the loss of billions of rupees. Talking to the Business Recorder, former senior vice chairman All Pakistan Customs Agents Association Syed Arshad Ali revealed that millions of rupees worth of samples were destroyed in the fire at the Gerry Dnata warehouse despite duties being paid and bank documents being released against the consignments. Customs clearing agents attribute the loss to the delayed release of goods by Customs appraisers, who often cite various pretexts such as requesting additional documents or referring cargo for examination, he added. Ali further stressed that air shipments are typically time-sensitive, but the non-cooperation of cargo handlers has become a persistent issue. “The present incident has added insult to our injuries,” he said, highlighting the need for improved efficiency and cooperation in the Customs clearance process. According to him, the Association has demanded serious action against the responsible Customs staff for their negligence and requested a refund of duties already paid to the department. The Collector assured the Association that show-cause notices would be issued to the concerned staff and that the duties would be refunded after due confirmation. The Collector also assured that operations at the cargo site would resume from Wednesday evening onwards and that a strategy would be devised to proceed with payment against claims. The incident has highlighted the need for improved coordination and efficiency in the Customs clearance process to prevent such incidents in the future. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025