LAHORE: Adviser to Prime Minister on Trade Abdul Razzaq Dawood has said that carpet manufacturers and exporters should pay full attention to the quality of products, especially value addition as only through this we can compete with other countries in the global markets.

He was speaking during a meeting with a three-member delegation of Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) which called on him here on Sunday and apprised him of the overall problems facing the handloom industry and their demands.

The delegation comprising senior central leaders Abdul Latif Malik and Usman Ashraf, led by senior vice chairman of the association Riaz Ahmed, briefed trade adviser Abdul Razzaq Dawood on duties, taxes and other issues related to import of partial raw materials from Afghanistan through Torkham border.

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The delegation demanded full tax exemption for unregistered suppliers in sales tax on partial raw material shipments from Afghanistan. They said the handmade carpet industry is the cottage industry and that is why the majority of people connected to it are not registered in the sales tax and there are huge difficulties due to the conditions of some documents, the burden of collection of duties and taxes will fall on Pakistani manufacturers and the increase in production cost will adversely affect Pakistan's exports.

They also thanked Abdul Razzaq Dawood for his efforts in resolving the long standing problems facing the handloom carpet industry.

Abdul Razzaq Dawood, while arranging a meeting with the Chairman of the Carpet Association delegation to the Federal Board of Revenue on Monday, said that Pakistan's exports are on the rise due to positive policies of the government. He said the government is providing all possible facilities to manufacturers and exporters with the aim of promoting Pakistani exports.