KP exporters of precious gems stones have voiced concern over implementation of SRO-760 (1) by the Ministry of Commerce, and warned that if the decision was not withdrawn within three days then they would go to court against it. They demanded the Ministry of Commerce to withdraw this SRO-760 (1) without any delay.
Addressing at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, Chairman of All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA) Rashid Qadeer Mir said gems stones exporters have been bounded to register with Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), by depositing Rs 30,000, while Rs 15,000 will be paid as registration fee for renewal after three years under Statutory Regulatory Order/SRO-760 (1), released by Ministry of Commerce in September 2013. Finance Secretary Atif Rasheed Khawaja, Manzoor Elahi, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mamoor Khan, and others were present during the press conference.
Qadeer Mir said exports of precious gems stones have been declined due to unfavourable environment in KP, while the decision would further affect the export. He said the officials of Ministry of Commerce, had told the exporters that the gems export was mistakenly included in SRO-760 (1), which will not be excluded. He further explained the decision was actually enforced on jewellery and gold.
Despite the fact, Qadeer Mir said the decision was also implemented on gems stones export through a public notice by the Ministry of Commerce, asked the exporters to renewal their registration with TDAP before January 23, otherwise they will not allow export. Similarly, he said that condition of General Sale Tax also being imposed in the SRO-760 (1), which was also unjustifiable move, after which, he said, there would be no legality of exporting precious gems stones. He further informed that around $121.48 million export of precious gems stones from 1996 to 2013 had been recorded, with larger contribution of KP, due to presence of variety of precious and semi precious stones in the province.
