ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Saturday chaired a meeting with the delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, having detailed discussion on issues faced by the textile industry.
The delegation sought Finance Minister’s attention for resolving issues relating to levy of surcharge on electricity bills, settlement of sales tax refunds, removal of anomaly in taxes as well as restraining import of yarn, aiming at promoting the local industry.
The Minister on this occasion was given a detailed briefing about current profile of the Pakistani textile industry and its standing in the international market.
The Finance Minister said that the matter regarding sales tax refund would be resolved on priority. He said that the government had already asked for filing of refund claims by 31st of August so that priority settlement of these claims could be carried out.
The Finance Minister constituted a committee comprising representatives of APTMA and government officials, headed by SAPM on Revenue, Haroon Akhtar to further deliberate on these issues.
The APTMA delegation vowed that given the right kind of incentives, textile industry would be able to play its due role in enhancing country’s foreign exchange earnings. The delegation thanked the Finance Minister for taking out time from his busy schedule for this important meeting. Members of the delegation expressed complete agreement with the Minister that promoting tax culture in the country was the key to economic prosperity. They assured him of full support on all matters aimed at economic betterment of the country and said any attempt at disrupting the process of economic development would be discouraged.
SAPM on Revenue, Haroon Akhtar, CEO TDAP, S. M. Muneer, Secretary Textile, Ameer Mohammad Khan Marwat, Secretary Commerce, Shahzad Arbab, Acting Secretary Finance, Dr. Shujaat Ali, Additional Secretary Finance, Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Chairman FBR, Tariq Bajwa, Joint Secretary, Finance Awais Manzur, Chairman APTMA, S.M. Tanvir, Group Leader APTMA, Mr. Gohar Ejaz and Mian Mohammad Idrees, President FPCCI, attended the meeting.