Stuck refunds: Apparel forum chief irked at FBR

KARACHI:

Pakistan Apparel Forum Chairman Muhammad Jawed Bilwani has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to release customs rebate claims of exporters that have been held for over a year and a half.

“Apart from these claims, sales tax refund claims have also been blocked for over a year making it extremely difficult for exporters,” he said.

Bilwani, who is also the chief coordinator at Value Added Textile Forum, said the soaring amount has created a liquidity crisis for exporters. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar promised on the floor of the National Assembly during his last budget speech that the pending issue of refunds payable shall be resolved latest by September-end.

Even in the 2014-15 budget speech, he had directed the FBR to dispose of all the pending sales tax refund claims of exporters before September 30, 2014.

Bilwani stated that it looks like the FBR machinery is evidently controlling the destiny of exporters.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2015.

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