LAHORE: Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement Lahore is facilitating the import of solar energy panels to the best of its abilities keeping in view the acute shortage of energy nationwide and the port authorities in future will follow the suit too.
This was stated by the MCC-Appraisement Lahore Collector Muhammad Zahid Khokhar addressing Pre-Budget Seminar on Solar Energy held here by the Pakistan Solar Energy Association.
“Despite the fact that the import of the solar energy panels is increasing import volume and the duty and taxes are very nominal, the customs authorities are facilitating the import of containers of solar energy panels,” Zahid said.
“According to my knowledge not even a single consignment has been stuck in Lahore region. All my sympathies are with the importers as their profit margins are also minimal and they are doing the business to cater the need of energy of the country,” the collector stated.
He also urged the importer to take a step further by investing in projects that could enable the country to produce solar energy panels and export to the world.
He suggested that the businessmen related to the energy business must come forward to invest in research and development in the solar sector so that the country could be self-sufficient in producing the indigenous solar energy panels and other related facilities.
On the occasion Pakistan Solar Association chairman Engr. Faiz Bhutta urged the government not to impose additional duty and taxes on solar energy accessories import.
He added that the newly born solar energy industry will die its unnatural death if the government imposed any additional duty taxes which will not only raise the unemployment ratio but also make the energy crisis even worse.
Bhutta underscored that the additional duty and taxes in the upcoming budget will increase the solar energy by 50 percent, affecting the purchasing power of the users.
He demanded of the government to allow rebate to the local assemblers on the import of solar accessories and announce duty free import of these accessories for the next ten years.
