FAISALABAD City News

0.9pc duty on import consignments

Token strike observed at Faisalabad Dry Port

From Our Correspondent

FAISALABAD: A token strike was observed at the Faisalabad Dry Port on Friday against the levy of 0.9 per cent duty on import consignments by the Punjab government.

Talking to The News here, FDPT chairman Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh said that the decision to observe strike was taken at a meeting held here under his chairmanship which was attended by the chairmen and officials of the Multan Dry Port, Sialkot Dry Port, Faisalabad Dry Port and All Pakistan Customs Clearing Agents Association. He said that the meeting unanimously decided that the dry ports of Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan and Sialkot would observe token strike on May 27 and 28 and in case the government did not withdraw duty on import consignments, the dry ports would start a general strike for indefinite period from May 29. He told that the participants of the meeting expressed their concern over levy of 0.9pc duty on import consignments by the Punjab government. The meeting discussed the negative impacts of this unilateral decision of the Punjab government, which would tantamount to annihilate the import business at dry ports, he informed. Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh said that industrial sector was already in deep crisis and this new levy would further aggravate the situation. He demanded the government withdraw from the decision immediately to save this sector. Sialkot Dry Port Trust chairman Khawar Khawaja told that immediately after the levy of 0.9 per cent import duty, imports recorded a steep decline of 75 per cent. All Pakistan Clearing Agents Association chairman Amjad Ch also demanded the government withdraw from the decision.