Islamabad
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry’s Businessmen Panel (BMP) on Wednesday urged the immediate abolition of the 1.8 percent infrastructure cess imposed by the Sindh government, warning that the levy has become a major barrier to Pakistan’s already struggling export sector.
BMP chairman and FPCCI former president Mian Anjum Nisar said that at a time when exporters are battling high financial costs, uncompetitive energy tariffs, and shrinking global demand, the imposition of an additional provincial tax is both unjustified and economically damaging.
According to him, this cess has pushed the cost of doing business to an unsustainable level and is actively eroding Pakistan’s export competitiveness, particularly when regional competitors are offering incentives while Pakistan is adding new layers of taxation.
Mian Anjum Nisar said that the export sector is already in a state of stagnation, with industries facing unprecedented challenges due to rising interest rates, expensive energy, unpredictable supply-chain costs, and an unstable business environment. In such circumstances, adding a tax of nearly 2 percent on goods passing through Sindh has become a direct blow to exporters who are already operating at thin margins.
