FAISALABAD, April 23: Chairman, Standing Committee for Industries of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mian Zahid Anwar, has demanded of the government to announce a package of incentives for industrialists and exporters in the budget to enable them to meet the challenges of WTO regime.

Talking to reporters here, he said that the budget for 2004-05 was very important in the light of implementation of WTO agreements and the government would have to pay special attention to strengthen its industrialists, exporters, traders and even small shopkeepers.

Mr Anwar said the trade community of the country had been facing serious financial crises due to variety of reasons, especially imposition of heavy taxes and duties. The government should provide maximum incentives to the business community in the coming budget as the traders alone could not compete in the international markets, he added.

He stressed upon President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali to invite traders and industrialists before giving final touches to the budget so that they could present their suggestions and proposals.