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Cigarette makers seek solution to problems

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Cigarette industry based in Mardan on Thursday complained to Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz against the unilateral termination of an agreement between them and the Central Board of Revenue (CBR), signed under self-clearance system.

A delegation of Mardan-based cigarette industry led by Nasim ur Rehman, met the finance minister here and asked him to personally intervene for the early solution of their problem.

According to the first agreement between the industry and the CBR, the Mardan-based cigarette industry under the flag of Mardan Chamber of Commerce was required to pay only Rs 7.2 million as a lump sum in lieu of excise duty. The agreement was valid for the financial year 1997-98.

For the running financial year, the CBR had another similar agreement with the industry. The industry was supposed to pay the same amount this year too. With the advent of the new government, the agreement was terminated on October 30, 1999, for which no reason was quoted by the CBR.

The minister, however, asked the delegation to take concrete action against the production of counterfeit cigarette.