KP govt to reduce cess on exports to 1pc, says CM’s aide

PESHAWAR: Implementing recommendations of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa decided to bring down the 2 percent cess on export to 1percent.

“A summary to reduce the cess has been prepared in light of the SCCI proposals, which will be presented in the next meeting of the provincial cabinet for formal assent,” said Advisor to Chief Minister of Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination Muzammil Aslam told a meeting during his visit to the chamber house.

SCCI senior vice-president Abdul Jalil Jan, former president Haji Muhammad Afzal, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, executive committee members Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Aftab Iqbal, Nadeem Rauf, Muhammad Ashfaq and Industrialist Association Peshawar President Ayub Khan Zakori, Khalid Sultan Khawaja and others were also present on the occasion. Muzammil Aslam clarified that the cess funds would be utilised on the promotion of economic activities and infrastructure development in the province. He assured to remove all hurdles to the provision of soft loans to the business community through the Bank of Khyber.

He also promised that issues relating to KPRA and IPC would be resolved on a priority basis. Similarly, he promised to raise business community issues at various forums at the federal level.

He said policies would be implemented in consultation with the chamber and business community.

He sought the business community’s support to achieve the set revenue and economic growth targets in the province.

Earlier, Fazal Moqeem conveyed concerns of the business community regarding the imposition of 2 percent provincial cess on export, property tax on warehouses, shops and offices by the E&T Deptt, making withholding agents by KPRA, non-implementation of provincial industrial policy 2020, issues relating to inter-provincial coordination, and suspension of PIA Peshawar to Karachi flights.

SCCI chief said the export process had been adversely affected after the imposition of 2 percent provincial cess on export. He feared export from KP would completely end if the cess couldn’t be abolished.

Calling collection of property tax by E&T deptt as double taxation, Moqeem demanded immediate abolishment of all unnecessary and irrational taxes.

He also expressed concerns over the collection of professional tax from the business community.