ISLAMABAD: According to Muhammad Shakeel Munir, president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Pakistan has a big potential to generate billions of dollars from exports of marble goods. The government should address concerns in the industry to utilize this potential fully.
The All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (APMIA) held an oath-taking ceremony on Saturday, and Munir presided over it. He said that Pakistan has enormous deposits of marble and granite but cannot fully use them owing to a lack of modern equipment and technology.
He lamented that non-mechanized extraction was squandering about 70% of marble products and suggested that the government let duty-free machinery imports enable the industry to create value-added goods and increase exports.
They claimed that high power prices are hampering the marble industry\’s expansion. The head of the ICCI requested the government offer subsidies or tax exemptions on the industry\’s electrical expenses.
He emphasized that marble exporters now pay much more for maritime freight. To help marble exporters, he suggested that \”the government could offer a volume-based freight discount or refund to marble exporters.\”
He said that to increase the nation\’s exports, the government should also give exporters of marble financial assistance so they may attend international trade shows.
Products made of marble, according to Munir, need to be covered under preferential trade agreements.
He added that investors only have contractual access to quarries at the moment. Thus they should granted the legal right to them.
He claimed that giving investors legal rights would result in better outcomes for this industry.
Munir congratulated the new APMIA leaders and expressed his hope that they would contribute significantly to the industry\’s growth.
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