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Balochistan has sought an economic revival package at par with what was budgeted for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) for 2015-16, arguing that Balochistan is equally affected in terms of economic instability, deteriorating law and order situation and discouraging business environment. Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chamman Chamber of Commerce and Industry have written letters to the Finance Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar for similar relief package from the federal government which was announced for KPK.
The Federal Government announced the following measures in the federal budget on the request of business community of KPK; (i) a five-year Income Tax holiday on all new manufacturing units set up in KP between 1-7-2015 and 30-6-2018; (ii) exports of perishable goods namely fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meat shall be allowed against Pak currency instead of dollars w.e.f. 1-7- 2015; (iii) quota for ghee and vegetable oil under DTRE for export to Afghanistan and Central Asia is being enhanced from 1000 Metric Ton per 90 days to 1000 Metric Ton per month ; and (iv) legacy issues regarding minimum tax payable on turnover under the previous KP package available for tax years 2010to 2012 shall be resolved.
Balochistan comprises about 44% of the entire country in terms of area, but due to perpetual inattention and absence of basic infrastructure, this province is lagging far behind other provinces in terms of prosperity, literacy, health, employment, per capita income, good governance and other micro and macro indicators. Due to these reasons industrial and manufacturing sectors of Balochistan have never flourished. However, due to its strategic location, the only lucrative opportunity is trading through import and export as Balochistan shares a long border spread of more than 1500 KM with its neighbouring countries viz. Iran and Afghanistan.
Both chambers argued that if not more, the province of Balochistan is equally affected as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in terms of economic instability, deteriorating law and order situation and discouraging business environment due to ever increasing separatist tendencies, insurgency movements, targeted killings, sectarian rivalry, ethnicity and above all the vested interests of foreign countries. "If both provinces are not taken at par this will badly affect the manufacturers and traders of Balochistan," said Engineer Daroo Khan. He added that Chaman Chamber has requested Finance Minister to personally look into the matter and to extend the scope of relief package to Balochistan as well.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015

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