LAHORE - Government should play a decisive and immediate role for reduction in paper prices as recent massive hikes have given a big blow to this business.

The demand was raised at a meeting between LCCI acting president Khawaja Shahzad Nasir, vice president Fahim-ur-Rehman Sehgal and a delegation of All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association (APPMA). The delegation was comprised of APPMA chairman Ahad Amin, president Khawaja Muhammad Ilyas, Khamis Saeed Butt, Bao Bashir, Samiullah Butt and others.

Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Fahim-ur-Rehman Sehgal said that paper prices are directly linked with the education sector and hike in its prices not only affects the traders but also hits the common man hard. They said that government should step into this matter and play role for early reduction in paper prices to keep education in the range of common man. They said that duties and taxes on imported paper should also be reduced in the larger interest of the masses.

The LCCI office-bearers further stated that business community is driving force of the economy but it cannot play its due role for economic wellbeing of the country because of various challenges.

Earlier, Ahad Amin, Khawaja Muhammad Ilyas and Khamis Saeed Butt informed the LCCI office-bearers that the prices of paper products have increase around Rs 20 to 25 per kg while regulatory duty is also imposed on imported paper. They said that prices of books and copies have been increased around 25 per cent and it has become very hard for the common man to continue education of his children. They said that government should pay immediate attention towards this major issue which is crushing both traders and masses.