Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan has given immediate orders and necessary directives to all concerned departments to transform PQA industrial area as a model industrial zone by considering a possibility to establish a Facilitation Committee of PQA and PQATI members.
The governor said this while meeting with a delegation of Port Qasim Association of Trade & Industry, led by PQATI Chairman Naeem Ilyas Khanani, a press release issued on Sunday said.
They discussed the issues of unlawful levying of property tax on industries, situated in PQA industrial area without conducting public hearing for inclusion of the industrial area, administered by Federal Ministry of Ports & Shipping as rating area for levying property tax.
PQATI delegation was of the opinion that property tax could not be levied on the industrial entities as the land belonged to PQA and allotted for a specific period of 50 years, which were liable to pay Peripheral Development Charges (PDC) to PQA.
The property tax is a provincial /local government matter and cannot be liable on federally administered area such as PQA.
The governor was also apprised by PQATI about the vulnerable law and order situation in PQA industrial area and steps taken by PQATI to counter such activities by establishing neighbourhood watch scheme by private security company in North Western Industrial Zone.
PQATI delegation also informed the governor that there was no sewerage system and effluent treatment plant in PQA industrial area, which was a requirement for running industry and winning export orders in this Global Village. PQATI chairman presented crest to Sindh governor and thanked him for taking prompt actions and decisions.-PR