President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mansoor Ahmed, while addressing the joint trade bodies meeting held at Sialkot Chamber expressed serious concern over the unnecessary delay by the government in payment of refunds and duty draw back to exporters.
The SCCI President emphasised that we have been pleading with the government to return the refunds since long but unfortunately no facilitation has been provided so far. He told the house that Federal Minister Ishaq Dar had been requested repeatedly to visit Sialkot Chamber to hear the problems confronted by the business community.
He said the government should provide facilitation to the export industry as it is the backbone of the national economy and strengthening the national exchequer through exports. He further said that according to reports that government was considering to issue "Three-Year Bonds" in spite of clearing outstanding refund claims which unacceptable for the export industry. He said that the there is a serious concern over the proposed formula of payment of refund claims as the coming Governments might not endorse the policy.
The SCCI President further said that Apprenticeship Training Department is forcing exporters to hire their trainees. However, the industry does not need such employees as they were fit for the local industry. He said that the training departments have not been able to produce trained workforce in accordance with the local industry's demand adding that Apprenticeship Training Department should focus on producing skilled force according to the needs of the industry.
He said that the business community of Sialkot is peaceful and believe in peace, they never staged protest against the government policies but this time in order to press their demands the business community will march to Islamabad.