Fire protection industry urges govt to declare its services tax-free to promote fire safety culture in Pakistan.

KARACHI -- The fire protection industry in Pakistan has demanded that its service should be declared tax-free to promote the culture of fire safety to save precious human lives and property. The demand to this effect was made as the fire protection industry in Pakistan constituted its representative association for the first time to promote the cause of fire safety and security across the country, according to a press release issued today. The ceremony to formally launch the Fire Protection Industry of Pakistan (FPIP) was held here at Pakistan Institute Management (PIM). The secretariat of FPIP is being established at the PIM. 'Earlier, the entities in the arena of fire protection didn't have any separate traders and services providers body to formally represent their industry in the country to deal with various stakeholders including the state and government institutions,' said FPIP's Founding President Muhammad Imran Taj.

He said the FPIP was going to represent every section of the fire protection industry in Pakistan including manufacturers, suppliers, installers of equipment; related service providers, trainers, and consultants. He said the FPIP would provide a common platform to the experts and companies related to the fire protection industry to have exchange of ideas and information about latest technologies and equipment used for fire safety the world over.

He said the FPIP being the representative trade body of the fire protection association would hold dialogue with the government about demands of the industry including exemption and reduction in taxes and duties on its equipment. He said the government should declare the services rendered by fire protection companies tax-free in view of their mandatory nature to save precious human lives, properties, and infrastructure. Taj said the FPIP was going to demand the government to establish an industrial zone, preferably near Gadani in Balochistan, to invite international manufacturers from outside Pakistan to indigenously produce fire protection equipment of world class standard.

He said that Gadani would be the most suitable location to establish...