ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Tuesday assured Pakistani mobile and auto part manufacturers of resolving their post-budget issues to promote local production, the Pakistani commerce ministry said.
The statement came after a meeting of the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) members and representatives of mobile phone manufacturers with Khan to address the issues impacting local manufacturing of automobiles and mobile phones.
PAAPAM Chairman Abdul Rehman Aziz called for the imposition of a regulatory duty (RD) across on all old and used vehicles and said that 70 percent of used, imported cars below 1,300cc were exempt from the newly imposed RD.
In the Budget 2024-25, a 15 percent RD was imposed on used, imported cars above 1,300cc at the request of local assemblers, according to Aziz. But this duty did not resolve their issue as small vehicles, which are imported in large numbers, were exempted from it.
“Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan assured that these concerns would be addressed in consultation with the Ministry of Industry and Production, the Ministry of Finance, and the FBR (Federal Board of Revenue),” the commerce ministry said in a statement.
Cash-strapped Pakistan passed its tax-heavy budget last month to boost state revenues to help it win approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan to stave off another economic meltdown.
The South Asian country has set a challenging tax revenue target of 13 trillion rupees ($47 billion) for the year starting July 1, a near-40 percent jump from the previous year, and a sharp drop in its fiscal deficit to 5.9 percent of GDP from 7.4 percent for the previous year.
In their meeting with the commerce minister, representatives of mobile manufacturers, led by Aamir Allahwala, demanded a ban on the import of old mobile phones to support the local industry.
They also requested a specific rate for the General Sales Tax (GST) instead of the current 18 percent GST based on value, which they said could lead to misdeclaration of values at the import stage and adversely affect the local industry.
Khan pledged all-possible support to encourage local manufacturing of auto parts and mobile phones, urging industrialists to prioritize exports.
Pakistan minister assures mobile, auto part makers of resolving budget issues to boost local production
https://arab.news/jquev
Pakistan minister assures mobile, auto part makers of resolving budget issues to boost local production
- Automakers demand government impose regulatory duty on used, imported vehicles below 1,300cc
- Mobile manufacturers call for a ban on the import of old mobile phones to support the local industry
Pakistan calls for regional cooperation against climate-driven disasters after Sri Lanka cyclone
- Maritime affairs minister says Pakistani rescue teams are already on the ground supporting Sri Lanka’s recovery
- Junaid Anwar Chaudhry is on a two-day visit to Colombo to express Pakistan’s solidarity with Sri Lankan people
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday urged South Asian countries to strengthen cooperation against climate-driven disasters after a deadly cyclone battered Sri Lanka, saying the scale and frequency of extreme weather demanded coordinated regional action.
Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on the island nation on Nov. 28, triggering severe flooding and landslides that destroyed homes and infrastructure.
Sri Lankan authorities say the storm has killed more than 600 people, left hundreds missing and displaced over two million across dozens of districts, making it one of the country’s worst natural disasters in years.
“We deeply admire the quick actions taken by the Sri Lankan government and the courage shown by the affected communities,” Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who is on a two-day visit to Colombo, said during a media briefing, according to a statement.
“As I speak to you, Pakistani teams and rescue personnel are on the ground helping to save lives and support relief operations.”
He said Pakistan had dispatched a humanitarian aid package on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives and that its high commission and disaster-response authorities were coordinating closely with Sri Lankan officials to ensure timely delivery of supplies.
Chaudhry used the visit to call for expanded regional collaboration on early-warning systems, disaster management and maritime safety.
Reaffirming Islamabad’s solidarity, the minister added: “Pakistan stands with Sri Lanka as a reliable friend and partner today and always.”
He also invited Sri Lankan media representatives to visit Pakistan and engage with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to strengthen people-to-people ties and deepen bilateral cooperation.
