KPCCI to lodge protest against Infrastructure Development Cess

PESHAWAR: The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Thursday reiterated its decision to reject the imposition of Infrastructure Development Cess levied by the provincial government.

“We want to apprise the government that levy of this taxation is totally unjust and is unacceptable to business community,” said Zulfiqar Ali Khan, President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI).

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he said Infrastructure Development Cess is already collected by Sindh government and levy of the same tax by KP government is double taxation and businessmen have decided not to pay it.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a militancy affected province and business in this province is already under great stress due to poor law and order situation,” Zulfiqar said, adding, “In the prevailing circumstances imposition of double taxation is very unjust with the businessmen of the province.”

In order to flourish business in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has to provide incentives instead of further burdening the already pressed businessmen, Zulfiqar remarked. The KPCCI president said the business community would oppose the tax and avail all available option for its withdrawal.

“We can release advertisements in press, lodge protests, close our industries and finally approach the court, if our demand is not met,” he warned.

Speaking on the occasion, Industrial Association Peshawar (IAP) President Ghazanfar Bilour said the Sindh government is charging 0.9 percent cess on import and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had decided to charge additional one percent tax over the same consignment of goods.