LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has announced her fully support to the LCCI and ensured to take up its demands with the federal government aimed at boosting of exports.
She was speaking at LCCI 2nd Export Trophy function. The LCCI President Abdul Basit, Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa and Vice President Muhmmad Nasir Hameed Khan also spoke on the occasion.
“I am standing with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and endorse its demands for enhancement of national exports. Government is responsible to support business community as they have most vital role for improvement of foreign exchange reserves, balance of payments and trade deficit”, Provincial Finance Minister said and added that not only food but all export-oriented sectors should have zero-rated facility. She said that Free Trade Agreements should be signed on win-win basis to maintain balance in trade with other countries. She said that process of refunds has been expedited while some tax exemptions have been given to the export-oriented industries. She said that system is needed to be improved for expediting refunds process.
She said that though exports are subject of the federal government but Punjab is doing a lot in this regard. She said that Punjab government has taken major initiative to increase power generation and major developments have been made on the cost of doing business while business community is being taken on board on trade and industry related issues.
“We have to learn from those countries that are enhancing their exports speedily. Federal government and LCCI should sit together to resolve the issues of refunds and rebate etc”, she concluded.
The LCCI President Abdul Basit said while highlighting the aims and objectives of the event of LCCI 2nd Export Trophy, said that business community deserves appreciation as they are doing well despite unfavorable circumstances. They are competing their rivals in the international market despite facing challenges like high cost of doing business etc. He said that government’s facilitation can enable them to win huge part of global market.
He said that government has set the export target of $ 35 billion by the end of 2018 that is not impossible. He said that government should give zero-rated facility to the food sector so that it can get due share in the international halal food trade. He said that Pakistan can also obtain huge benefits by promoting export of basmati rice, fisheries, cement, marble, pharmaceutical and light engineering.
The LCCI Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa called for introducing new tradable items and said that attention should be given to the modern technology, branding and marketing to give a considerable boost to the exports. The LCCI Vice President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan presented vote of thanks.
Zafar Ahmed Khan of Mithcell’s Fruit Farms, Akhlaq Ahmad of Epesol (Pvt) Ltd, Qais Rehman of Kalamkaar received Best Export Brand Awards, Salman Basit of Big Bird, Ali Hussam Asghar of Ali Commercial Corporation, Syed Muhammad Irfan Auqeel of Millat Tractor, Munir Alam of Azgard Nine, Nasib Ahmed Saifi of Anis Associate, Faisal Iqbal of 12 C Pakistan, Shafiq Ahmed Abbasi of Novamed Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd, Rana Abdul Mannan of Atlas Exports (Pvt) Ltd, Tariq Mahmood of Sarwar Foods, Mian Kaleem of Al-Tech Engineering & Manufacturers and Zafar Iqbal of Nobel Foods (Pvt) Ltd received Best Export Performance Trophy.
Shahid Hassan Sheikh, Farooq Iftikhar, Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman, Tahir Javed Malik, Awais Saeed Piracha, Shahrukh Jamal, Hassam Ali Asghar, Mian Zahid Javed, Tariq Misbah, Syed Mahmood Ghaznavi and Mian Muhammad Nawaz were also present on the occasion.
