Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMAP) has asked the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take prompt measures regarding the issuance of Export Proceeds Realisation Certificate (EPRC) as the banks are using delaying tactics to issue the same.

In a letter issued recently, TMAP said the members are facing immense difficulties in getting EPRC from their respective banks. Therefore, it has asked the SBP to issue instructions in this connection to redress the problem. The text was extracted from the letter, which was sent to Nasim Qureshi, Director General (RDA Cell), Ministry of Textile Industry, Islamabad.

It further said the web portal of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) did not allow the towel manufacturers to rectify the mistakes committed inadvertently during the e-filing of the registration form. For example, a member wrongly clicked incomplete registration form to "submitted" during previewing but he is unable to edit it.

The association said the FBR has not allotted user ID and password to the members, who have been issued registration certificates, creating hurdles in the clearance of the shipment.

"Towel manufacturers have been waiting for long to get their user ID and password, which are considered to be the prime obligations for clearing the shipments in the online process." It also urged the board to take remedial measures to facilitate the towel industry.

It said the provincial certificates are mostly expired or reaching expiry date before even a single claim has been filed, which should be automatically extended till December 31, 2009.

Moreover, TMAP said the board should revive the previous procedure, which allowed the towel manufacturers to file claims within 90 days from the date of realisation and added that the time period may be relaxed initially until the registration is completed in all respect.

Source: Business Recorder