LCCI urges withdrawal of SROs affecting cement distributors

LAHORE: President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Mian Abuzar Shad has called on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to withdraw recently issued statutory regulatory orders (SROs) that have raised serious concerns within the cement distribution sector.

Referring to SRO 578(I)/2025, issued on April 8, Shad noted that it mandates all business transactions to be conducted through bank channels, along with the provision of detailed buyer information. He argued that this policy is impractical in the prevailing economic environment, where an estimated 40 per cent of cement sales are made to walk-in customers. In such cases, cheque payments are often unreliable due to a high rate of bounced cheques and limited legal recourse.

He also highlighted industry reservations regarding SRO 709(I)/2025, issued on April 22, which requires system integration with the FBR’s digital platform.

Shad urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to suspend the implementation of both SROs for cement distributors, wholesalers and retailers. Instead, he recommended that cement manufacturers be allowed to sell only to active, tax-registered buyers, which would help ensure documentation without disrupting market dynamics.