LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has described Budget FY27 as a balanced fiscal plan with positive steps for stabilisation and documentation, while calling for greater focus on investment-led growth, industrial expansion and job creation.
LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol, Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh and Vice President Khurram Lodhi welcomed relief measures in the budget but said key sectors, including industry, SMEs, agriculture and IT, needed stronger support. They also noted concerns over water security allocations, the ambitious tax target of Rs15.264 trillion, and urged broader tax base expansion instead of higher burden on existing taxpayers. They backed tax cuts for property transactions, salaried individuals and export-related measures.
Saigol said the budget reflected fiscal discipline but stressed the need for policies to boost industrial output and exports. Sheikh emphasised tax base expansion and inclusion of the informal economy, while Lodhi called for lower energy costs, cheaper financing and regulatory reforms to strengthen competitiveness.
Industrialists and traders gave a mixed response to the budget, welcoming targeted relief but criticising the lack of broader support. They highlighted gains for salaried individuals, construction and super tax relief, but said clarity was still needed on key measures.
Faisal Qamar FCA criticised the export tax on the IT sector and called for an end to internet shutdowns, citing reputational risks for multinational-linked operations.Former PPMA chairman Amjad Ali Jawa welcomed duty relief on raw materials for life-saving drugs but urged allowing imports from India and protective duties on Chinese finished medicines.
Pakistan Poultry Association Chairman Abdul Basit opposed the continuation of sales tax on processed poultry and the Rs10 excise duty on day-old chicks, calling it inflationary.Industrialist M I Khurram welcomed a 50 per cent cut in property transfer duties, saying it could revive real estate activity.
Grand Traders Alliance President Anser Zahoor Butt rejected the Rs25,000 tax on traders, warning of a shutter-down strike.Former SAARC Chamber president Iftikhar Ali Malik said the economy remained under pressure from global and domestic challenges, urging stronger governance, peace in the region, and reforms in agriculture and R&D to support growth.
