Tin Cane Manufacturing Association, Punjab Iron and Steel Merchants Association have demanded of the government to establish long term zero tax regime for packaging industry through zero rated import duties on its industrial raw materials.
Chairman, Tin Cane Manufacturing Association, Munawar Malik, Deputy Chairman Arshad Iqbal and Chairman Punjab Iron and Steel Merchant Association along with other office bearers while addressing a joint press conference here on Thursday, said that if the industry's demands are not fulfilled, they would have no choice but to go for unlimited strikes to protect their industries and safeguard their interests in most peaceful manner.
They asked the government to recognise the fact that metal containers are not industrial products but raw materials. Electrolytic tin plate in all qualities, gauges and sizes is a purely industrial raw material, which should have zero import duty on its import.
Cane making industries should be considered as industry itself and its industrial imports should be zero-rated. Commercial import of industrial raw materials should be imported at maximum of 5 percent import duty, considering same industrial raw materials is only, exclusively and technically a 100 percent industrial raw material, they added.
Same primary raw material if imported by commercial or non-industry persons should have a maximum rate of duty at 5 percent. Addition of sales tax on imports by 20 percent should be brought back at par with other products to 15 percent. CBR should immediately announce this relief package for cane making industry, they maintained.