SIALKOT: The Collector Customs, Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Sialkot, Ahmed Reza Khan said the exports from Sialkot have increased by 10.1 percent during the first six months of the current Fiscal Year 2016-17 due to advance facilities provided by the Customs Department.
Talking to Customs Today on the other day, Ahmed said the volume of exports from the Sialkot Dry Port Trust (SDPT) and Sialkot International Airport has increased to Rs 7.17 billion during the abovementioned period. He said the exports of leather from Sialkot has increased by 9.3 percent, sports goods 7.1 percent, surgical instruments 7.9 percent, textile 15.8 percent, cutlery 4.8 percent and other goods by 5.5 percent.
He said new steps, being taken by the Customs Sialkot, are encouraging exporters to increase their volume of exports as clearance issues are also being solved through one window operation and WeBOC system to facilitate the exporters.
He said the exports from Sialkot were increased by 19.1 percent whereas the volume of exports from the Sialkot Dry Port Trust (SDPT) and Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL) was increased by 13.17 billion during the Fiscal Year 2015-16.
He said the Customs Sialkot has started paying pending refund claims to Sialkot exporters on priority basis and has already distributed Rs 1,400 million among them. He said we are working to make the Customs Sialkot a center of excellence with the cooperation of the Sialkot based industrialists, exporters and importers. He lauded the role of exporters in making the country proud and termed them “roaming ambassadors of Pakistan” who travel all around the world to bring business with their personal efforts. He said the export-earnings of Sialkot stand at $2 billion annually which is eight percent of the total exports of Pakistan.
