PESHAWAR: The business community has opposed the implementation of cess on exports from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and feared that the provincial government’s move will adversely affect exports, international flight operations, cargo/shipping services and Pak-Afghan transit trade.

According to a statement issued here on Thursday, a delegation of businessmen headed by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fuad Ishaq had already conveyed its reservations to the provincial government about the implementation of the cess on exports from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The chamber president asked the provincial government to withdraw the two per cent cess that will help to increase exports and business activities and provide maximum employment opportunities to people and also stabilise the economy.

Talking about bilateral trade on the occasion, Fuad Ishaq said that under SRO-121, there was no duty or tariff imposed on the transit trade carried out by Afghanistan through Pakistan.

Therefore, he said, there was no justification for imposing cess on exports by the provincial government.

He expressed the fear that imposition on cess on exports from KP would also extremely hurt Pak-Afghan bilateral trade.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2024