All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers’ Association (APCMA) welcomes the recent statement by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on the implementation of the track and trace system and the initiation of probe into the mismanagement in its implementation.
The APCMA in various meetings and correspondence with the FBR has maintained from day one that the track and trace system cannot function within the cement industry and will not achieve the desired results. Such views however were not taken seriously by the FBR and the cement industry was coerced into purchasing equipment worth billions of rupees for implementing the track and trace system.
Various trial runs of the track and trace system on the cement industry failed and instead of removing the shortcomings, the dispatches of the cement industry were stopped by the FBR to forcefully implement the track and trace cement.
A collective approach on implementation of the track and trace system would have saved valuable foreign exchange lost in importing machinery and may have yielded better results. The cement industry has supported this initiative from the very first day and instead of challenging its implementation, as was the case with some other industries, engaged with the FBR in good faith, as successful implementation of the system would have prevented tax fraud.
The cement industry contributed approximately PKR 240 billion in taxes in TY 2022-23. Furthermore, the cement industry also earns valuable foreign exchange by exporting cement and such exports in the year 2022-23, clocked-in at approximately USD 210 million.
The APCMA urges the government to compensate the industry through tax relief for heavy investments made on the implementation of the track and trace system.
“The cement industry played its role for the implementation of the track and trace system in the national interest but after its failure the industry needs tax relief adjustments for its heavy investments in the system because the industry is in crisis due to decreasing economic activities, limited development activities, and increase in production cost,” said APCMA spokesman.
