The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take heed of and discourage huge imports of cars, luxury items, and food accessories to lessen the burden on foreign exchange.
President of the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) Zulfikar Thaver said on Tuesday that the Prime Minister (PM) should act wisely and not be influenced by the superfluous import of luxury items that are causing losses to the national exchequer.
He asked why imports are needed if so many brands of cars are being either manufactured or assembled in Pakistan.
Thaver added that the depletion clause that is meant to protect the local industry is not being implemented as assemblers are not utilizing the parts manufactured in Pakistan but are importing the parts indirectly through their own established companies.
He said that the importers are defeating the very concept of the clause, and requested the government to promote manufacturing and utilization of local parts as much as possible.
Thaver remarked that Pakistan must learn to forgo importing luxury goods such as durable cosmetics that are already being manufactured in Pakistan. He said that food items such as cheeses, butter, jams, cereals, and confectionery, and toiletries are also being imported while they are all being made locally.
The UNISAME council urged the PM to announce the Made in Pakistan campaign with full vigor as dependency on imports in the long term will cripple the local industry that is perfectly capable of producing these items.