KARACHI: The Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has demanded establishment of dry port at Hub.

In a statement issued on Monday, LCCI President Yakoob H Karim reminded the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman that the decision to this effect was taken earlier this year but no progress has so far been made.

The LCCI president hoped that early completion of dry port at Hub would also facilitate trade movement once the Pak-China Economic Corridor is complete.

He said that the proposed dry port would curb smuggling in Balochistan and also help boost revenue collection.

Karim said the FBR chairman had also agreed that revenue collected from businesses located in Lasbela district would be accounted as revenue generated in Balochistan but this has also been not implemented.

He reiterated his demand that total figures of inland taxes generated from Hub and other parts of Lasbela district should be disclosed by the FBR so that the government of Balochistan may assess the potential of tax generation in the area, enabling it to provide further infrastructure and incentives for industrial progress of the province.

The LCCI chief criticised inordinate delay in payment of sales tax refunds.

Published in Dawn December 9th , 2014