Maaz Mahmood calls for lower energy costs and predictable export policies
LAHORE
The All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) has warned that Pakistan’s export sector is facing mounting challenges due to high energy tariffs, rising freight charges, heavy taxation and frequent policy changes, urging the government to take immediate measures to restore industrial competitiveness and protect export-oriented businesses.
APBF President Syed Maaz Mahmood and Chairman Ibrahim Qureshi, in a joint statement, said the growing cost of doing business was undermining the ability of Pakistani manufacturers to compete in international markets, while uncertainty surrounding export policies was creating additional financial and operational difficulties for businesses.
The APBF leaders said export growth could not be sustained without a competitive industrial environment, consistent policies and timely implementation of measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on manufacturers. They stressed that Pakistan needed to move beyond short-term interventions and adopt a comprehensive strategy to strengthen export-oriented industries.
Syed Maaz Mahmood said the government must recognise exports as a central pillar of economic stability and foreign exchange generation. He observed that high electricity and gas prices, expensive financing, taxation and delayed refunds were increasing the cost of production and making it difficult for Pakistani exporters to compete with regional rivals.
Maaz Mahmood stressed that the Export Facilitation Scheme played an important role in supporting export-oriented manufacturers by facilitating access to imported raw materials and inputs. He said any changes affecting the scheme should be carefully assessed in consultation with industry stakeholders to avoid disrupting production cycles, increasing working-capital requirements and weakening Pakistan’s export competitiveness.
Chairman Ibrahim Qureshi said the combination of high production costs and rising international freight expenses was creating a difficult environment for exporters, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises that had limited financial resources to absorb sudden increases in operating expenses.
