960415

Bilour for zero

duty on import

of machinery

KARACHI: Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has called for zero duty on import of industrial machinery so as to promote industrialisation of the country.

In a statement issued to the press FPCCI president on Monday said that the government should aim at rapid industrialisation and the establishment of industrial units in all parts of the country including the backward areas and the rural areas. Such a policy will have very positive and beneficial effects on the socio-economic conditions of the country.

Senator Ilyas Bilour said that the establishment of industrial units would generate new employment opportunities which would absorb our youths who for want of jobs were being forced to indulge in disruptive activities, creating law and order problems.

The establishment of the industrial units in the rural and backward areas of the country will also reduce the flow of job-seekers to the urban areas of the country.

It is therefore in the interest of government itself that as much industrial machinery is imported in the country as is possible and this can only be achieved when the cost of imported machinery is as low as possible through nil import duty and nil sales tax, he added.-APP