KARACHI:

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has demanded clarification from the Sindh government over the recent hike in the Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) on imports, which has risen from 1.25% to as high as 1.85%.

FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh raised the concern during a consultative session with Sindh Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla at Federation House. He said businesses are frustrated by the financial burden, legal ambiguity, and lack of visible infrastructure upgrades despite significant revenue collections.

Chawla offered to reduce the IDC to 1% and keep it at that level for three years, provided businesses collectively withdraw ongoing court cases. He also agreed to consider withdrawing IDC on solar panel imports.