Chairman Pakistan Tanner's Association (PTA) Sheikh Afzal Hussain has hailed the relief package announced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan which worth Rs1 trillion in comprehensive which was of course fundamental need of the country and export industries as well.
While going thru the details of the relief package it is revealed that the relief package for the export industries specially leather sector which is the 2nd biggest export oriented value added industry of the country is found inadequate/insufficient specially the allocation of fund for reimbursement of refunds to export industries.
Sheikh Afzal Hussain urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to please consider our genuine following proposals for special relief packages for this vital sector of the country :-
1. Earmark the separate funds or allocate the fund out of Rs 100 billion already reserved for the refund of sales tax, income tax and duty drawback claims exclusively for leather sector of Pakistan as most issues in hand for our members is liquidity crunches to enable our members to pay off to the suppliers and labourers as well.
2. Removal of AGST and ACD and also reduce custom duty at least @50% on import of basic tanning chemicals and machines to enable our members able in international market of leather AND also to remove 2% ACD on import of wet blue /pickled of cow and buffalo which was actually mistake and needs to be rectified as has already been allowed for sheep and goats skins.
3. Inclusion of dyed/finished leather in the new DLTL scheme for the period of 2018-21 which was eliminated inadvertently.
4. Interest rate would further be reduced from 11% to 6-7 % which would be the great of facilitation with motivation to all exporters.
5. Immediate removal of demurrage charges for import cargo lying pending at ports for which the ministry for maritime and ports has been approached for desired removal and awaiting anxiously the positive reply
Sheikh Afzal Hussain said that the above proposals were already submitted to advisor to PM on Commerce and Textile Abdul Razzak Dawood during the meeting held on 16th March and he also assured firmly to PTA with other stakeholders of export industries for the inclusion in the relief package but unfortunately it is lacking in the announced relief package which is really termed disappointments and leading the severe cause of mental stress and mental agony with the insufficient relief package announced so far by the government in comparison with neighbor competing countries.
He strongly appealed to Prime Minister of Pakistan and Advisor to PM on Commerce and Textile to consider our proposals favorably on war footing basis for immediate announcement of relief package for leather sector with threes core demands for this unique industry of the country to avoid further deprivation to enable them to combat with this critical economical situation within the country and internationally in result of Coronavirus.