Counter unemployment through digital imaging

The business of photo-studios and commercial and professional photography is declining in Pakistan due to the skyrocketing prices of digital still and movie cameras because Pakistan have to import these products from Japan, China and other countries. The leading distributors of Digital Imaging and Photo Industry believes that the government should support this business in Pakistan in order to boot the country's economy and to create more job opportunities for Pakistani professional photographers.
Money Plus this time talks to Nasir Saeed Chief Executive Super Enterprises and Chairman Standing Committee on Digital Imaging and Photo Industry of Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry to find out how this sector can perform well and provide job opportunities to the Pakistanis.
Mr Nasir Saeed Chief Executive Super Enterprises, country's leading company dealing in digital imaging products, said that few decades ago the business of small photo-studios and photo-shops was on its peak but after the arrival of digital imaging in Pakistan, most of the photo-studio owners had to closed down their business due to the high prices of digital cameras.
"The big investors replaced the small studios by establishing big digital laboratories after the digital revolution in Pakistan. The small traders and businessmen were unable to set up such expensive laboratories, thus they had to leave this business," he said.
Nasir Saeed said that the government should provide relief to the photo industry by taking concrete steps to counter unemployment and facilitating the stakeholders linked to this business.
Believe me, he said, the digital imaging and photo industry has a great scope in Pakistan if the government waive off the custom duty and other taxes on the import of digital imaging products. He further demanded the government to waive off all the custom duty and taxes on these products immediately. Consequently, the prices of digital imaging products would fall to a reasonable extent in the local market, which will help professionals join this business.
The press photographers use digital cameras for their professional duties. Similarly, a great number of people can earn living by setting up their own digital photo-studios and through indoor and outdoor photo shooting. They will also be able to carry out photography on wedding parties and other ceremonies.
Nasir Saeed, the sole distributor of Olympus Japan and Tetenal Photo-products Germany in Pakistan, further revealed that the government is collecting 32 per cent tax including custom duty, sales tax and income tax on the digital imaging products. The government must waive these taxes to boost the photo-industry and to provide more job opportunities to the people of Pakistan.
There is no tax on the mobile phone, which have a number of accessories including movie