ISLAMABAD, March 2: The government has decided to increase customs duty on sugar from 20 per cent to 30 per cent in order to safeguard and protect the local industry.

The new government’s decision was announced here on Saturday through an ordinance issued on February 27, 2002. The decision covered both refined and raw sugar. The absence of specific reference to raw sugar in the ordinance, however, has resulted in an anomalous situation.

The Ministry of Industries and Production, therefore, clarified the position indicating that necessary amendment was being issued to remove the confusion. Formalities were being completed for formal amendment to the ordinance.

“The government plans to protect the industry including sugar mills in Pakistan,” said an official announcement.

Meanwhile, the 22nd meeting of the Board of Administrators of Export Development Fund (EDF) was held on Saturday which reviewed the performance of training institutes/projects being funded by the EDF Board.

The Board was informed that Textile Institute of Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan School of Fashion Design, Lahore, S.M.S Rizvi Textile Institute, Karachi, Institute of Handloom & Home Textile Technology, Multan, Pakistan Bedwear Designing and Training Institute, Karachi, and Pakistan Readymade Garments Technical Training Institute, Karachi were performing well.

The Board was of the view that the Export Skill Development Council recently established at Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) for monitoring and evaluation of plans/programmes of the projects should achieve the desired results. The Board was informed that the Vapour Heat Treatment Plant at Karachi would be ready for treatment of mangoes in the next season and it will open up Japanese market for export of mangoes. The Board also appreciated the functioning of Gem and Gemological Institute at Peshawar.

It decided to extend its full support to institutes whose performance will be found satisfactory. The Board stressed the need to make strategies to uplift the slow moving projects/institutes in the first phase.

The meeting was attended by secretary commerce, representatives of the ministry of industries and production, chairman and vice chairman of EPB, beside the director state bank of Pakistan.

President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Malik, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry A.Q. Khalid, Dr. Khalid Jawaid Chaudhry, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Attaullah Khohkar, President Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry also attended the meeting.