The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has appealed to the Federal Finance Minister Asad Umer and Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood to amend recently issued SRO 237(1)/2019 dated Feb 19, 2019 as it would hit the businesses hard. The demand was raised by the delegation of FMCG Association of Pakistan while talking to the LCCI office bearers; President Almas Hyder, Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal on Saturday. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh was leading the delegation.
The delegation members expressed their serious concerns over recently issued notification by the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) that would make compulsory for all the imported food items to have Urdu labeling too on the packaging, describing all the ingredients, nutritional facts and usage directions.
They said that decision in import policy amendment SRO 237 of printing Urdu packaging on imported food items must be reviewed as it would not only hamper the smooth running of businesses. The importers of fast moving consumer goods are paying Rs8 billion per day to the national exchequer besides providing jobs to millions of people. They are providing high quality food products to the consumers of Pakistan and promoting a healthy competition in food sector, the delegation said.
The FMCG delegation informed the LCCI office-bearers that they are being asked to approach foreign Halal authorities for certification that is almost impossible as it would jack up the cost of doing business. They said that such authorities should be established at domestic levels because certification from foreign authorities is physically not possible. They said that sticker placement should be allowed on the packing that are already imported.
The LCCI office-bearers said that stakeholders should be given at least 2 years for a smooth transition whereas immediately implementation of this directive shall have serious negative impact on business.
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