'Bribe' for permission: Industrialists, exporters reject allegations against Sindh government

Industrialists and exporters have rejected allegations on Sindh government for taking bribe from exporting units for the issuance of permission to commence operations.

Shabbir Ahmed, Patron-In-Chief of Pakistan Bedwear Exporters Association (PBEA) has strongly rejected the claim of a federal minister that the Labour and Human Resource and Industries & Commerce Department of Government of Sindh had asked money/bribe from exporting units for the issuance of permission to start operations of their factories.

Currently, more than 600 exporting units have been given permission by the government of Sindh for the operation of factories under SOPs and all permissions were given on merit, he maintained.

He said that Sindh government has granted permission to exporting units after adopting all necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and after verification from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

As per procedure for permission, the exporter will get contract verification from the TDAP and submit it to the Industry and Commerce Department of Sindh, which will send request to the Home Department Sindh for final approval and issuance of NOC for commencement of factory operation, he elaborated.

Shabbir said someone has misguided the federal minister that the Labour and Human Resource Department or Industries & Commerce Department Government of Sindh had asked money for the operation of export factories.

"We would like to confirm that none of Sindh government official or department has asked for any money for the approval of the applications from any of exporting unit," he said.

He confirmed that all Sindh government departments have approved the applications on an urgent basis and issued NOC very next day after receiving the application and verification of the pending exports orders from the TDAP.

"We are surprised to note that who misled federal government and federal ministers," Shabbir said.

It is quite unfair to go for point scoring...such allegations are being levelled against Sindh government however there is no truth in these allegations.

"We assume that Prime Minister Imran Khan is being misled by some of his ministers," Shabbir said.

This kind of misstatement from federal ministers does not do any good to the working relationship between the centre and provinces.