The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) President Mian Misbahur Rehman has said that smuggled goods from China and Afghanistan are playing havoc with local industry, and if timely steps were not taken, the menace would paralyse the manufacturing base of the country.
He stated this while talking to Abdul Wadood Khan, Director General (Custom Valuation), Central Board of Revenue, here at LCCI on Monday.
LCCI Senior Vice President Sohail Lashari, Vice President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, LCCI Executive Member Aftab Vohra and former LCCI presidents Sheikh Muhammad Asif and Mian Anjum Nisar also spoke on this occasion and threw light on various issues facing the business community.
The LCCI chief maintained that the products like shoes, plastic goods, auto parts and tyres, readymade garments, electronic and electrical goods, toiletries and almost every consumer product have flooded Pakistani markets leaving little room for local manufacturers to get their due share from the market. He added that mis-declaration/under-invoicing of goods in value, quantity and quality are other issue hitting the industrial activity in the country. Although, the government has slashed custom duty on many items to control smuggling, under invoicing and mis-declaration, but there is still room for more action in clamping down on the above-mentioned practices. He also drew attention of the DG valuation towards the cargo terminal of Allama Iqbal International Airport saying that the terminal is in a bad shape.
He said it is necessary that those who are contributing towards the exports of the country must be properly facilitated. He said that scanning machines should also be installed at all ports to ensure quality and quantity of goods as declared in the documents in Pakistan to avoid repackaging charges. He said that unnecessary use of powers by appraisement intelligence branch (AIB) causes delay in processing of goods declaration form after payment of duty and taxes, which discourages the businesses and result in unnecessary harassment and wastage of time. Competent and knowledgeable appraisement staff should be posted at the port to avoid post-clearance objections raised by the AIB. Instead of raising post clearance objections the AIB staff must check the consignment at the time when these are being processed by the appraising staff. The appraisers and principal appraisers are misusing their powers often violating the rules, he pointed out.
Speaking on this occasion, the DG valuation said that he would try his level best to solve the issues raised at this meeting but he said, the co-operation of trading community is of prime importance to eliminate the ills pointed out by the businessmen.