OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE - While expressing disappointment on Federal Budget 2011-12, Pakistan Computer Association has said that the impact of budget would be fatal for already crippling computer industry in the country and hence, it would further deteriorate education sector. Munawar Iqbal, Central President of PCA said that withdrawal of GST exemptions on surgical tapes, ultrasound gel, diapers for adults (patients), bricks and building blocks of cement, computer software, ambulances, firefighting vehicles, waste disposal trucks is highly regrettable decision which would add to miseries of the common man. Munawar Iqbal said that the increase in the prices of computer software would actually discourage student of IT as they are already finding it hard to purchase expensive software. Moreover, the decision would be resulted as increased trend of piracy. He said that the government has failed to take right corrective measures to improve our national economy. He said that the menace of growing smuggled goods in Pakistan from neighbouring countries is hurting the local business badly but government did not take any serious note of it, which is highly unfortunate. He said that this trend must be curbed as it discourages local manufacturers, hindering documentation of business activities and is causing huge loss to the government exchequer as well. He Central President of PCA said that present budget needs to be revisited and it should be discusses in the parliament thoroughly. He added that the duty structure of the goods prone to smuggling should be rationalized so that legal imports could be encouraged. He said that Afghan Transit Trade needs to be strictly regulated as it will help curbing the duty free smuggling of many items back to Pakistan. Munawar Iqbal said that Computer and IT industry is considered as backbone of the economy in the countries who are rapidly on the path of progress and development. However, its unfortunate that instead of revisiting the bad decision of imposing GST on the industry, the government has imposed GST on computer software as well, which will be resulted as total collapse of the sector.