Lahore, December 13, 2018 (PPI-OT): Steel Melters on Thursday gave an SOS call to the government over the issue of discrimination in taxes and utility prices that have pushed entire industry to the wall. A delegation of Pakistan Steel Melters Association, led by Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan, called on the LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Former LCCI President Sohail Lashari, delegation members Abdul Rehman Chan, Mian Atiq-ur-Rehman, Malik Zahid, Malik Umair Zahid, Sheikh Nauman, Salman Malik and Majeed Lashari also spoke on the occasion.
The delegation sought Prime Minister Imran Khan’s intervention over the issue that has now causing closure of steel units and leaving thousands of employees jobless. Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan informed the LCCI Senior Vice President that around 100 steel melting units are situated in Lahore and almost all are closed due to discrimination in the imposition of taxes and different utility price.
He demanded that taxes from steel melters should be collected at import instead of different states. This would not only give relief to this dying industry but would also help government collect maximum taxes. “We want to pay taxes but it should collected at source”, he added.
The LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir said that facilities should be equal for the industries of all provinces as any discrimination is against the law of competition. He said that industry of Punjab cannot survive without having a level playing field. He said that reportedly, those irrelevant industrial units are establishing steel melting units within their premises who are enjoying less utility rates. He hoped that Prime Minister would take notice of this situation and immediately intervene into the matter.
For more information, contact:
Information Department
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
11-Shahrah-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat,
Lahore -54000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-222-499
Fax: +92-42-36368854
Website: www.lcci.org.pk