Collector Customs Sialkot Nayyer Shafique visited the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to discuss the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) 2021.
The awareness session was attended by SCCI President Abdul Ghafoor Malik, Vice President (VP) Amer Majeed Sheikh, Sialkot business community and representatives of various industries.
The SCCI president welcomed the Customs officials at the chamber for the awareness and training session and for enlightening exporters about the main features of EFS and answering questions by exporters.
The collector Customs informed the session participants that the Federal board of Revenue (FBR) had developed various modules for smooth functioning of the EFS and for facilitating all categories of exporters including both direct and indirect exporters. He explained salient features and benefits of modules which focus on facilitation of exporters.
He said the indirect exports were major component of the EFS and a mechanism for transfer of raw materials and semi-and-fully-finished goods, including local sales, has been deployed in the scheme. He said that exporters were getting all features in one scheme.
Nayyer Shafique said that in September 2022, there were only two units that had taken EFS services, and “so far we have issued licences to 109 units”. By the end of April 2023, we will cross 200 units target, he added. He said that Sialkot was on top priority regarding EFS scheme because the basic target in the scheme was the SME sector.
The collector Customs Sialkot said that currently there was a liquidity crisis in the country due to various reasons and Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) was a good opportunity for the business community in the liquidity crisis.
Addressing the session, President SCCI Abdul Ghafoor Malik said that Sialkot is an important economic hub and totally export-oriented city of the country. He said it is the only export-oriented city in Pakistan where 99 per cent products produced are exported to various parts of the globe. Through export, Sialkot-based small and medium industries were earning foreign exchange amounting to over US$2.5 billion per annum and strengthening the national exchequer, the SCCI chief added.
Malik said that thousands of small and medium sized industries were functioning in and around Sialkot and the city was globally known for its quality products, unique export culture and for manufacturing value-added goods like leather products, sports goods, surgical instruments, gloves of all sorts, textiles items, sports wear, martial arts uniforms and accessories, musical instruments, kitchen ware, hollow ware, knives, cutlery items and military uniform badges, etc.
Earlier, Collector Customs Sialkot Nayyer Shafique was welcomed by SCCI President Abdul Ghafoor Malik and Vice President Amir Majeed Sheikh.—APP
