- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Dec 11 (APP): Parliamentary Secretary Planning Development and Special Initiatives Wajiha Qamar on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that Gwadar Port was operational, and equipped to handle general cargo, containers, and other operations.
Responding to a question during the question hour of the 11th session of the 16th meeting of the lower House of the Parliament, she said the port accommodates vessels of up to 50,000 DWT and possesses the requisite infrastructure to support bulk cargo and container handling efficiently.
Qamar said multiple shipments under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement have been successfully processed.
To a question, Parliamentary Secretary of Commerce Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti expressed the hope that rice exports can achieve the mark of five billion dollars during this fiscal year.
He said Pakistan’s rice exports reached a notable 3.8 billion dollars in the last fiscal year, rising from 2.1 billion dollars in 2022-23.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti said from July to October this year, the total rice exports saw an approximate 48.81 per cent increase in value and a 43.77 per cent rise in quantity as compared to the same period in 2023-24.
Replying to another question, Parliamentary Secretary Finance Saad Waseem Sheikh said the Personal Income Tax rate for the salaried class has not been increased in the current fiscal year budget, however, the maximum rate for highest slab income earners stood at the pre-budget 2024-25 rate of 35 per cent.