Minister says KP govt to merge provincial taxes

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is mulling the merger of all provincial taxes and simplifying other rules and procedures to ensure ease of doing business in the province.

The government will form a committee to chalk out rules for the merger of the provincial taxes, including property and professional taxes.

The taxes would be collected through a one-window operation that would lead to ease of doing business in the province.

Provincial Minister for Finance, Taimur Salim Khan Jhagra, while talking to the representatives of the business community and trader, during his visit to the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), announced the committee would be tasked to frame rules to merge the provincial taxes and to facilitate its collection at one point.

SCCI President Faiz Ahmad Faizi, former presidents of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including Riaz Arshad, Muhammad Afzal and other businessmen were present on the occasion.

The finance minister said the committee would have a representation of the SCCI to put in proposals for easing doing business and finding a solution to the problems being faced by the business community.

Taimur Jhagra said the government was taking measures to improve trade and commerce in the country, while it has also been decided to take steps for 24-hour opening of Torkham border.

The minister added that the Afghan government should also reciprocate in a positive manner.

Provincial Minister for Finance, Taimur Salim Khan Jhagra assured Printing Press Association that confusion arising out of the notification issued by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) imposing service tax instead of manufacturing’ tax on the printing press would be resolved at the earliest.

In the notification, Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority has also barred all public sector institutions from giving publications tenders to those presses which are not registered with it.

The minister said he has already taken up the issue with Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority and received a letter in reply from them which he will study in detail and discuss the matter with the quarters concerned.

He said the provincial government through its own resources has laid a gas pipeline of 16 inches in Hayatabad Industrial Estate to overcome the issue of low pressure.

Earlier, in his welcome address Faiz Ahmad Faizi laid stress on the provision of relief to the business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because of losses it suffered due to militancy and terrorism in th province. He demanded relief from taxes for a period of three years for businessmen of Peshawar because of losses they suffered due to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The BRT has badly affected the business of Peshawar city and therefore Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should give a one-time relief to the traders and industrialists of the city, Faizi demanded.

The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president appreciated the vision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal government about `Ease of doing Business’ and demanded the formation of a committee for implementation of this goal.

While expressing satisfaction over tax exemption announced by the government for merged tribal districts, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president said government should not take such decisions which could affect industries located near the erstwhile tribal belt.