Lahore: The Pakistan FMCG Importers Association (PFIA) has demanded the government to immediately withdraw regulatory duty on several items including food and dairy products.
The PIFA leadership has also decided to stage a protest demonstration against the levy of this regulatory duty. PFIA President Anjum Nisar and Patron in Chief Naseem Ahmad Chawla said that unnecessary and lavish items should be discouraged by levying regulatory duties but the food especially FMCG sector should not be taxed. They said that this sector was not only meeting the demand of the local consumers but its working also compels the local industry to upgrade its standards and quality.
They said that the sector was already facing different issues such as smuggling and under invoicing and now the imposition of fresh duties would make it impossible to survive. They said that the importers from across the country would be meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Thursday and stage a demonstration outside the chamber against this decision of the government.
PFIA leadership said that the government should have consulted the importers before the imposition of duties so as to minimize burden on the consumers.
