PESHAWAR
An awareness seminar regarding the Export Facilitation Scheme was jointly organised by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in collaboration with the Customs department here at the chamber’s house on Thursday.
The session was presided over by the SCCI’s senior vice president Shahid Hussain.
Besides, the chamber’s vice president Ejaz Khan Afridi, former senior vice presidents Imran Khan Mohmand, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, executive members Haji Ghulam Hussain, Munawar Khurshid, Pervaz Khattak, Lala Badshah, and Ihsanullah, Zahoor Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Shams Rahim, Abidullah, Fazal e Wahid, Ishtiaq Muhammad, Rashid Iqbal Siddique, a large number of traders, industrialists, exporters and importers were in attendance on the occasion.
Additional Collector Appraisement, Customs Colloctorate Peshawar Afnan Khan, and Inspector Customs Collector Peshawar Abdul Rehman apprised the participants about aims, objectives and procedures of the newly introduced Export Facilitation Scheme by the government for enhancement of the country exports.
Shahid Hussain in his opening remarks said that exports have played a vital role in economic development of the country.
He, however, said the volume of the exports has dropped by $7.17billion during the last three months against the imports of $16.44 billion, which need to be improved for taking joint corrective measures by authorities concerned.
Senior office bearer said the country’s economy is passing through a difficult phase of its history, saying that the declining exports is one of the major causes of it.
He urged the traders’ community to frame a joint strategy to bring improvement in the existing export volume.
Similarly, he said industrial growth has stagnated owing to unavailability of electricity and gas, which has also brought negative impacts on the country’s export.
Shahid Hussain noted that the business community has played a vital role in the economic development of the country by paying different taxes. He, therefore, urged the government and relevant authorities to take pragmatic steps to resolve the traders, especially exporters and importers issues.
On the occasion, he thanked the customs department for arranging such an informative/awareness seminar regarding the Export Facilitation Scheme.
Participants on the occasion appreciated the customs department for arranging the awareness session and raised a number of queries about the new export facilitation scheme, which were responded to by customs high officials in an efficient manner.
Speakers and participants of the meeting demanded of the customs department to continue such informative sessions in the future as well.
