LAHORE: A three-member delegation of Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMAEA) called on Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Dr Ashfaq Ahmed and apprised him of other issues including demand for tax exemption on partially finished raw materials coming through Torkham border.
According to details, senior central leaders Abdul Latif Malik and Usman Ashraf, led by Riaz Ahmed, acting chairman of PCMAEA met Dr Muhammad Ashfaq, chairman Federal Board of Revenue, to discuss the issues being faced by handmade carpet industry in the country.
The delegation informed the Chairman FBR that the exported products are exempted from sales tax while the partial finished goods coming from Afghanistan through Torkham are also exported locally after value addition but different taxes are levied on it due to which the cost of production has increased manifold. "Requests have been made in this regard, but there is a serious concern among manufacturers and exporters that no hearing has been held," they added.
According to acting chairman Riaz Ahmed, the meeting with Chairman FBR Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed has been very positive and we hope that our demands will be considered and progress will be made on it as soon as possible. He said that this decision would protect the employment of more than 500,000 skilled workers in Pakistan while the reduction in production cost would increase our exports due to competition with the products of rival countries in the global markets.
He said tax exemptions would stabilize Pakistan's handmade carpet industry and provide jobs for poor artisans who make partial raw materials in Afghanistan. "We demand the government to take our demands seriously or else exports will fall further," he concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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