Hurdles to trade with Central Asia discussed

Businessmen demand inclusion of export goods in WeBOC system

PESHAWAR:

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Sherbaz Bilour has called for including the goods being exported to Central Asian countries in the Web Based One Customs (WeBOC) system in order to boost trade with the regional countries.

Bilour made the remarks during a meeting with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Member Customs Tariq Huda on Thursday. Both sides agreed to take joint initiatives to remove the hurdles impeding trade with the Central Asian Republics, besides keeping tax exemption for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata). Endorsing the proposal of an SCCI delegation for the inclusion of goods being exported to Central Asian Republics in the WeBOC system, the FBR member customs issued orders in this regard.

The meeting was also apprised about a flagship project of the SCCI, meant to promote trade with the Central Asian Republics, and cooperation of the FBR and other relevant government authorities was sought.

The chamber delegation highlighted the business community’s issues relating to taxes in the newly merged districts and Pata.

The SCCI president stressed the need for removing obstacles in the way of trade with the Central Asian countries, which would give a boost to the country’s exports and bring economic stability.

The chamber president pointed to a number of issues being faced by the business community, exporters and importers while doing trade with regional countries, and demanded that the government and relevant institutions take pragmatic steps to resolve all those issues amicably.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2021.

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