SIALKOT: All trade bodies, including the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Pakistan Ready-made Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA), have expressed concern over the inordinate delay in the payment of refunds and duty drawback claims to the exporters.
An important joint meeting of Sialkot’s trade bodies was held at the SCCI and was chaired by SCCI President Mansur Ahmed.
Addressing the meeting, PRGMEA Central Chairman Ejaz A. Khokhar said that the sales tax, duty drawback and customs rebate claims (worth of Rs. 40 billion) of Sialkot exporters have been lying pending for the last four years.
Addressing the meeting, SCCI President Mansur Ahmed said “we have been pleading this burning issue of the Sialkot exporters the government for the payment of the duty drawback claims since long, but unfortunately, this issue has not yet been addressed by the government”.
He invited the Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar to visit Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to hear the problems of the perturbed Sialkot business community.
SCCI President revealed that the government should facilitate the export industry of Sialkot as it is the backbone of the national economy.
He further said that the news coming from the government regarding the issuance of three year bonds against duty drawbacks are disturbing and unacceptable. He said that there is a serious concern over the proposed formula of payment of refund claims as the coming Governments might not endorse the policy.
He said that the business community of Sialkot is peaceful and never staged protest against the Government policies but this time in order to press their demands the business community might have to march to Islamabad.
