FBR persuaded to stop harassing local traders

Rawalpindi : Business community of Rawalpindi city has said that harassing traders in the name of collecting taxes must be stopped. Chairing the meeting Acting President RCCI Muhammad Nasir Mirza said that traders have a common voice that harassing traders in the name of collecting taxes must be stopped.

He said that FBR and income tax staff should treat traders with respect. Placing and appointing staff at different business centers as a watchdog to monitor business entries is against the basic human rights. Traders on many forums and in meetings with FBR requested that raids/action under section 40B of Sales Tax Act 1990 by FBR authorities on business premises of the tax payers must be stopped.

Group leader Sohail Altaf said that FBR Chairman in his recent visit to RCCI gave clear instructions that traders being highest tax payers must be treated with respect and FBR believes in partnership with the business community and consider them as a backbone of economy.

Unfortunately, this is not happening and FBR harassing attitude pushing us to take extreme step and we might call for strike and shutter down. We are in consultation with different chambers and trade associations and will come out on consensus to give final call, he added. RCCI Acting Chief said that Government should act wisely here and asked FBR to stop its harassment campaign going on in the country in the name of tax collection. The country which is going under political and economic uncertainty cannot afford strikes and shutter down, he added.

Earlier, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed welcomed the guest and hoped Pakistan; China friendship will grow even in the coming days. Senator Mushahid said CPEC had provided jobs to hundreds of Pakistani people. He dispelled the impress as if Chinese labourers would dominate Pakistani markets after CPEC completion. He said so far there was no Chinese labourer working in Pakistan.