12 July 2004	Monday	23 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, July 11: The chairman of the standing committee on dry port of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, has demanded 'free trade permission' for the exporters of the country in the new trade policy.

Presenting some suggestions for the new trade policy to be announced this month, Mr Sarhadi said the government should remove all hurdles faced by exporters and give them permission for free trade.

Special emphasis should be given on curbing smuggling and a special bank for extending advances on easy terms to traders, industrialists and exporters be set up, he said. Zia Sarhadi also suggested for setting up of 'Pakistan Towns' in international markets on the pattern of China Town, to promote country's exports.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), he said, should introduce Pakistani products in Africa, South America and Central Asian Countries to increase exports and production standard of industries.

Zia Sarhadi also demanded that the government should simplify documentation process on refund of rebate and sales tax to exporters. Long delays in clearance of rebate and sales tax refund from the CBR affects exporters performance, he added.

Zia Sharhai, who is also member of the Railway Advisory Board, suggested for cancellation of 'Ilm-o-Khaber', a document of the Afghan government usually required for export of goods to Afghanistan.

This document, he said, had nothing to do with Pakistani exporters and increased expenditure on export, therefore it should be canceled, he added. If the government allowed export through road to India, the cost would reduce and export between Pakistan and India would also increase. -APP