Islamabad, June, 2025 — The Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association (PPMA), the premier body representing over 300 plastic manufacturers across the country, has submitted a comprehensive set of budgetary proposals to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industries and Production(MoI&P). These recommendations are aimed at reinforcing Pakistan’s industrial base, enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), streamlining industrial regulation, and accelerating sectoral growth in alignment with the government’s “Uraan Pakistan” economic revival agenda.
Addressed to Federal Minister for Commerce Mr. Jam Kamal Khan and Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production, the recommendations focus on structural tariff reforms to encourage domestic manufacturing, policy support for export-oriented businesses, and institutional strengthening of the plastic industry.
PPMA has called for the removal of customs duties on raw materials not produced locally and retention of protective duties on locally manufactured inputs, in line with the cascading tariff model under the National Tariff Policy. To make the local industry more competitive, especially since locally produced raw materials currently cost more than imported ones, PPMA has recommended a tax reduction to 7.5% on locally produced raw materials. Furthermore, it advocated for a revision of Pakistan Customs Tariff Codes, specifically 39.16 to 39.26, to clearly differentiate raw materials from finished goods under the National Tariff Policy.
Recognizing the challenges posed by inconsistent regulatory definitions, PPMA proposed a unified SME classification across institutions such as the State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue, and allied departments. The revised thresholds would categorize businesses with turnover up to Rs. 100 million as micro enterprises, Rs. 100 to 250 million as small enterprises, and Rs. 250 to 800 million as medium enterprises, thereby reflecting ground economic realities more accurately.
The association also highlighted the disproportionate compliance burden faced by SMEs, recommending a phased and simplified reporting structure that distinguishes SME requirements from those imposed on large-scale manufacturers. It stressed the need for regulatory streamlining through a one-window interface that consolidates bodies such as PESSI, EOBI, WWF, and WPPF to lower the administrative cost of doing business.
A major concern raised by the association is the imposition of sales tax on educational stationery. PPMA stressed that taxing essential learning materials in a country where over 29 million children are out of school creates barriers to education. It called for a restoration of sales tax exemptions or zero-rating for products such as pens, pencils, notebooks, and inks under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules.
To increase Pakistan’s presence in the global plastics export market, PPMA has requested that specialized international plastics exhibitions such as ArabPlast (Dubai) and InterPlas (UK) be officially included in the TDAP calendar, with subsidies for booths and support for delegate participation in events like ChinaPlas and ProPlas Expo.
In support of digital facilitation, PPMA urged the Ministry to enhance the role of the SMEDA-SMERP portal, integrating environmental and labor regulations into the platform to increase transparency, accessibility, and efficiency. The association also called for greater investment in human capital development, including the establishment of a subsidized skills training fund and the modernization of R&D centers like PITAC, GTDMC, and KTDMC to better serve the tooling and technical needs of SMEs.
PPMA also stressed the importance of continuing the original Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), which it says has enabled exporters to secure new international contracts. The association emphasized the need for stronger anti-dumping enforcement, the creation of technical training centers, and the development of a Common Facility Center under the Export Development Fund. It also requested formal representation in the EDF board to better align industrial policy with sectoral needs.
Chairman PPMA, Mr. Syed Nabeel Hashmi, noted that these recommendations represent a pragmatic and results-oriented framework to strengthen the backbone of Pakistan’s industrial ecosystem. He emphasized that empowering SMEs through targeted policy reforms will not only drive economic resilience but also create meaningful employment opportunities across multiple sectors.
Also, VC PPMA, Shoaib Munshi, noted that these recommendations are grounded in national interest and aim to enhance the role of the plastic industry in economic development, value addition, and employment generation. The association expressed its willingness to work closely with the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industries and Production to refine policy frameworks and contribute technical input wherever needed.
