PESHAWAR, July 26: Chairman of the Standing Committee for the Dry Port of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has stressed that the government should take effective measures to strengthen the trade infrastructure and enhance the country's exports.

Expressing his reaction over the new Trade Policy for the year 2004-05, Zia Sarhadi termed the export target of US$13.7 billion as "difficult" to achieve. In the prevailing circumstances when the global trade is faced with recession, the export target for the current year is difficult to achieve, he observed.

However, the government has to give maximum incentives to exporters and improve the performance of commercial attaches of the country, so that the allotted targets may be met.

Zia Sarhadi, who is also Chairman of Frontier Custom Agents Group hailed the measures announced in the policy, like, permission for importing tractors and bulldozers under gift scheme, sending samples upto the value of dollar 25,000, establishment of Suppliers Credit Fund of 10 million dollar for sale of Pakistani products in Africa and Central Asian Countries and provision of free subsidy.

Zia demanded of the government to declare exports as 'exempted' to all sorts of taxes and rescind the Export Development Surcharge decision. He said that to promote exports in the country, undue hurdles by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR), Ministry of Commerce and concerned departments should be removed.

Pakistan's export can only increase when its goods can compete in the international market and for improving the production standard of industries, the government should take measures to find new markets in the world. -APP