Carpet makers seek cut in customs duties

The Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) has called for reduction in customs duties as the levies are “adversely impacting the sector’s ability to survive”. A PCMEA delegation, led by Abdul Malik, presented the demands at a meeting with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Thursday, according to a press release. The delegation apprised the minister about the hurdles the industry faces and called for prompt government action for resolution of their problems. In the first four months of the current fiscal year (July to October), carpet exports dipped by 11.49 per cent to $18.91 million, from $21.36m over the same period last year.