ISLAMABAD: Member Customs Zahid Khokhar has met soap manufacturers and assured them of resolving all their genuine problems amicably.
Zahid Khokhar, addressing a meeting of Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association held in Islamabad, hoping that the business of soap manufacturers will be further boosted.
Abdullah Zaki, the Chairman of the Association, said the local industry is facing very tough times and serious efforts are needed to encourage the private sector to play an effective role in reviving the economy.
He said that most of the raw materials for the soap industry are imported from Malaysia or Indonesia. There is a big volume of bilateral trade between the two countries Pakistan- Malaysia/Indonesia under FTA & PTA. He also pointed out that there is a large amount of smuggling through the Afghan border and these goods are then freely sold in the local market all across the country at prices less than the cost of productions of local industries which undermines production capacities. It should be checked sternly to enhance the GDP of the country.
He also added that no facility is being given to the soap industry in the shape of duty reduction on soap raw materials while our association is continuously trying to convince the policy makers that there are high tariffs for soap raw materials, that’s why smuggling of finished soap is choking the local industry. PSMA Chairman Abdullah Zaki presented a memento to Zahid Khokhar.
