LAHORE: The All Pakistan Dry Port Association urged the Government of Pakistan and Provincial Government of Punjab to facilitate the Dry Ports by abolishing extra taxes to promote the exports of the country.
This was stated by the representatives of the All Pakistan Dry Ports Association while holding a press conference at the Lahore Press Club the other day.
Chairman of the All Pakistan Dry Ports Association Malik Mukhtar Ahmed said the import and export industry of Pakistan is valuable but it may be closed due to negligence of the government. The dry ports work like nonprofit organizations as ports are providing services to the importers and exporters at a very low costs and playing an important role in strengthening the national economy, he added.
Moreover, the governments of Punjab and Sindh imposed 16 percent and 13 percent tax on heavy vehicles respectively so the dry ports are bound to pay this tax. He appealed the government to abolish the exemption being given to individual transporters.
Brig (r) Nadeem Iqbal said at a press conference that cess tax is already being collected in different forms so new cess should not be acceptable. The ministry of railways should increase the number of trains to promote the import and export culture.
Khalid Butt argued that the government of Punjab should remove commercialization fee on 10-acr land at Multan Airport and provide a business friendly environment.
The leaders of the All Pakistan Dry Port Association from Multan, Faisalabad, Sambrial, Lahore and other cities vehemently appealed the Punjab chief minister to address the problems of the dry ports.