Facilitation of exporters only way forward: Hammad Azhar

LAHORE: Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar said on Saturday that the government was taking practical steps for economic revival by ensuring maximum facilitation to the industry, especially the export-oriented units.

He was talking to the media after holding a meeting with industrialists of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA).

Hammad Azhar said that promotion of industry, agriculture and small & medium enterprises (SMEs) was among the top priorities of the government, adding that measures were being taken to ensure economic revival through broadening of taxes, innovative methods, following the international standards, use of technology, and maximum facilitation to the industrialists and businessmen.

To a question, he said that the major chunk of tax refunds comprised the export industry’s sale tax, for which the government had evolved a comprehensive strategy. “The old and long-standing refunds would be vacated on a priority basis through cash, while others would be dealt through promissory notes so as to bring the liquidity crunch in the export sector to an end,” he added.