MCCI chief presents charter of demands: Minister promises funds for Export Display Centre

Federal Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan said that new trade policy 2015-18, to be announced within a fortnight, would be aiming at facilitating manufacturers and exporters in making Pakistani products competitive in the world markets.
Addressing a ceremony at Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI),chaired by Mian Fareed Mughis A Sheikh, its president the commerce minister also promised to provide funds for establishment of an Export Display Centre and upgradation of Multan office of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). Khurram prescribed value addition and international certification and standardisation of Pakistani products as the key to sustained economic growth observing that country can hardly rely on export of merely raw material be it cotton yarn or mango packed in wooden crates.
About incentives and facilities to exporters, Khurram recalled a marathon 8-hour long brainstorming ministerial session on September 10, 2015 followed by a briefing to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the next day. He said that Prime Minister was committed to provide relief to businessmen and exporters to propel the national economy. He said that it has been decided to pay the refund claims of exporters, however, added that issues were still being discussed and final decision would be taken by the Prime Minister.
He said that a proposal had also been submitted to make export zero-rated so that question of refund claim does not arise in future. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was keen to extend relief to business but the questions were who deserves to get it. He recalled an instance from the past when refund claims of exporters exceeded the exports.
He said the government was taking steps to streamline the processes to minimise the chances of corruption and facilitate the business community. He said that under the new trade policy that would be announced soon for a period of three years, the relief would reach the bank accounts of business community through a transparent mechanism and there would be no need to move requests to ministry or FBR.
He said that business community would have to approach the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to get the relief. Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said that Pakistan was engaged in talks with different countries to finalise free trade agreements to regain the edge it once used to enjoy for its products in the international markets. He said the free trade agreement with China in modified form was being negotiated and it would be more balanced than the previous version.
Khurram said that Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks were in progress with Thailand and a round of talks with Turkey would be held by the end of this month for FTA. He further stated that talks for Free Trade Agreement with South Korea would begin in 2016. He said that Pakistan was also interested in a free trade agreement with Japan and hoped that things would turn positive following a high level visit to Japan. He said that Pakistan was interested in enhancing trade with Iran and talks were also held on Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and enhancing trade relations. He, however, added that financial sector sensitivities with regard to international sanctions were a point of concerns, adding that things would improve gradually. He said that he himself had visited Iran some time ago as part of government's efforts to enhance co-operation with the neighbouring country in different sectors.
He said that China-Pak Economic Corridor would be linked to Iran. He said that gas pipeline has been laid from Gwadar to Nawabshah and added that Pakistan would build the remaining portion of the line from Gwadar to Iran. The commerce minister promised to provide funds for machinery for Cold Chain plant, Hot Water Treatment plant and vapour heat treatment plant for mango post-harvest treatment, however, stressed that MCCI should come up with proposals that it would run these plants under management boards and there should be a mechanism to meet their operational cost.
He said that the board of Export Development Fund would be reformed in 2016. He said that gas supply situation in the country would improve in the next six months through supply of LNG. He said the government inherited two major challenges when it came into power including extremism and energy crisis. He said that operation being carried out against extremists has made Pakistan more safer place adding that there was 70 per cent reduction in suicide attacks, thanks to operations being carried out by Pakistan's security forces.
Inflow of foreign buyers to Pakistani markets and export exhibitions has increased and situation was much better than what it was after 2007. He said that untiring efforts were being made to overpower energy crisis and situation was improving gradually. Khurram said that countries like China, Malaysia, India, Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand registered phenomenal growth during last 30 years because of foreign investment and joint ventures. He said that the efforts being made by the PML-N government was showing positive results.
He said that government, under the new trade policy, would provide assistance to exporters and manufacturers in getting international certifications for their products to make them more competitive in the international markets.
In his welcome address, MCCI President Mian Fareed Mughis A Sheikh presented a 15-point charter of demands. He said that sick industry must be revived, provide facilities to the exporters of Mango, withdrawal of 0.6 percent on bank transactions for non-taxpayers. Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi, M Anees Khawaja, Shahid Nasim Khokhar ,Khawaja Mehr Ali, Khawaja Muhammad yousaf, Mian Iqbal Hassan ,Malik Asrar Awan, Alamgir Jamil Khan, Rana Mehmood -ul-Hassan MPA, Muhammad Tariq Khan, Mian Rehman Nasim, Ata Shafi Tanvir , Khawaja Muhammad Farooq, Khawaja Muhammad Usman, Chaudhry Zulfikar Ali Anjum also spoke.