By Sandra Loyd
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has postponed its decision close down drug production unit in the whole country after new insurances from the Federal Council of Revenue (FBR) over refund of 17 percent General Sales Tax (GST) charged by the pharmaceutical industry on import of raw material.
Chair of an emerging meeting of the PPMA, President of the Qazi Mohammad Mansoor Dilawar Association instead made it clear to which the PPMA would be obliged give a call for strike if the commitment has not been honored within five days.
He warned that a nationwide strike by the pharmaceutical industry would do so lead to the shortage of medicines but made it clear that responsibility for suffering of the people he would lie openly on the government.
He said a large number of The members of the association who attended the meeting that followed the ultimatum of going on strike pronounced in a recent press conference, the FBR contacted the association e various dating with senior officials of the bureau took place where once again promised to take in consider the refund of GST on purchase of raw material looking for more time for it.
In last meeting with FBR, together with all the pharmaceutical multinationals with national there were pharmaceutical manufacturers representing 97% of the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan and presented a unified position.
of PPMA demand of refund of sales tax on purchase base is not yet adapted from FBR and the online portal And also it is not operational while the industry is paying sales tax on all purchases of raw materials/ API from January 16th.
However, he regretted that there appears to have been no progress made as neither any notification nor any press release in merit effect it had so far been issued by the FBR until now.
Recalling that the government had previously agreed to reimburse GST on import of raw materials on purchase base, but in followed is gone back on their word, the association urged her to do so resolve the matter soon.
Speaking to reporters later, member of the Central Executive Committee of PPMA Usman Shaukat noted that the FBR continues to do so give a run in around the pharmaceutical industry and now they were looking more time saying that an amendment in the law would be required.
Referring to the multiple challenges facing the industry said most of the raw material is imported and any increase in dollar tariffs negatively affect the cost of local producers. “The addition of GST on import of raw material it is something indigestible ”, he remarked.
Source: PPMA extends the deadline for national strike of the pharmaceutical industry
Category: Pakistan, deadline, extends, industry, national, pharmaceutical, PPMA, strike
