LAHORE: The ‘smuggling’ of cement, tyres and tiles is at its peak and freely illegal import of these items into the country is damaging the local industry and causing huge loss to the national exchequer.
Sources said that the local cement industry would be destroyed if this illicit practice was not stopped as the tyres and tiles industries had already been affected due to smuggling of tyres and tiles from Afghanistan and Iran respectively.
With the aim to save the cement industry in Pakistan, local industrialists are struggling to raise the issue at higher level and have drawn attention of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Bajwa towards this illegal trading. All-Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) Senior Vice Chairman Sayeed Tariq Saigol has written a letter to FBR chairman in this regard.
In his letter, Tariq Saigol informed Tariq Bajwa that Iranian cement was being imported under different brand names including Sistan, Khash, Mumtazan, Kirman, Ghain and was being sold in the local market at very lower rates.
He said that the cement was being imported on mis-declaration and gave examples of different consignments. He said that importers of Iranian cement were paying duties/taxes to the extent of 30 tonnes against the consignment of 60 tonnes, thus evading duties and taxes by 50 per cent.
