Lahore
Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMAEA) Senior Vice Chairman Riaz Ahmed said that the partially finished raw material for the manufacture of handmade carpets comes from Afghanistan; therefore, the people involved in this industry are deeply concerned about the internal situation in Afghanistan.
These views were expressed by Riaz Ahmed, Senior Vice Chairman of the Association while addressing an emergency meeting.
The meeting was attended by Chairperson of Carpet Training Institute Pervez Hanif, Senior Central Leader Abdul Latif Malik, Saeed Khan, Malik Akbar, Major (retd) Akhtar Nazeer, Faisal Saeed Khan, Daniel Hanif and others while some representatives participated through video link.
Riaz Ahmed said contacts are underway with government officials regarding exemptions from duties and taxes imposed on imports of partially finished raw materials through the Torkham border and a meeting with the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue will be held again next week.
The difficulties faced by the handloom carpet industry, especially in Afghanistan, were discussed and various suggestions were made.
The participants of the meeting said that the partially prepared raw material for the manufacture of handmade carpets is imported from Afghanistan through Torkham; hence the difficulties have increased in recent days.
Vice Chairman Riaz Ahmed said that they would meet the Chairman FBR again next week regarding concessions in duties and remittances about import of partially finished raw material through Torkham and would convey their demands to him.
“I strongly hope that the government will provide relief in view of the difficulties faced by the export industry,” he added.
He said that people associated with the handloom carpet industry pray for lasting peace in Afghanistan so that the situation in the region also improves.
