Tanzania has detained 50 containers of cement exported from Pakistan on arrival at its port for want of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority’s (PSQCA’’s) certification. The cement was exported by M/s. Lucky Cement to M/s. Mohammadi Enterprises, Tanzania in 50 containers of 20’’ weighing 1288 ton. It was a trial shipment. 
 
In a fax message received here on November 30, 2007 by PSQCA, Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has asked the Authority to confirm whether "this product has been certified by Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority and fax the license/permit for the particular product as objective evidence."  
 
PSQCA has not taken any action on this request from TBS as M/s. Lucky Cement’’s license was suspended by PSQCA on November 15, 2007 due to non-payment of outstanding dues, being the amount of marking fee. According to PSQCA the current outstanding dues from 14.9.2006 to 31.10.2007 stood at Rs 5,800,000/.  
 
PSQCA in its letter sent on November 15, 2007 to M/s. Lucky Cement had informed that: "in view of willful default in payment of marking fee as per agreed schedule of payment at your end, the competent authority as per its mandate under the PAQCA Act, 1996 has suspended the C M licenses issued in favour of M/s.  Lucky Cement Ltd, with immediate effect, till all payments due are cleared."  
 
M/s. Lucky Cement had sent a scanned copy of PSQCA’’s certification issued on April 23rd, 2007 to the Tanzanian importer under which the license issued was valid from February 15, 2007 to January 31, 2008. 
 
Subsequently, however, this license was suspended on November 15 by PSQCA because of non-payment of outstanding dues. M/s.  Lucky Cement Ltd has in a letter sent to PSQCA on December 11, 2007 requested the Authority "to look into this matter urgently and resolve the issue with Tanzanian Bureau of Standard." 
 
When contacted for comments on the issue, a senior official of PSQCA said that it would not respond to TBS’’s fax message as M/s. Lucky Cement’’s license stood suspended and they are not authorised to export the commodity. They must first of all clear all the outstanding dues of PSQCA, only then the Authority would come into action in this case, he said.