SCCI resents tax notices to private Haj, Umrah tour operators

PESHAWAR: President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz here on Monday expressed concern over the issuance of tax notices to private Haj and Umrah tour operators by the Federal Board of Revenue.

Addressing a meeting of the SCCI standing committee on Haj, Umrah and Religious Affairs, Maqsood Pervaiz said that the unnecessary notices to lockdown-affected the business community associated with Haj, Umrah tour industry is highly deplorable and unacceptable. The chamber president said the corona lockdown had hit private Haj, Umrah tour operators to be included in PM fiscal relief package Rs30billion and demanded to extend them interest-free loan facility from banks.

He asked the payments on the head of tickets against private airlines should be released without any delay. The committee meeting was chaired by its chairman, Muhammad Kamran Zeb, which was held at the chamber house here on Monday. Shahid Hussain and Haji Abdul Jalil Jan, Senior Vice president and Vice president of the SCCI, Haji Aftab Iqbal and Ghazanfar Sawal Vice Chairman’s of the committee, Muhammad Faiz Saberi, Muhammad Imran Zeb, Asim Umar and Pervaiz Awan, member of the body were present in the meeting. Kamran Zeb briefed the meeting about hajj policy 2020 and said that the private Haj, Umrah tour operators have been adversely affected owing to the prolonged lockdown. On the other hand, he said, the issuance of tax notices by FBR has created unrest among them.

The committee chairman elaborated that the private Haj, Umra operators are facing a financial crisis due to non-payment of outstanding dues under the head of tickets against the private airlines and delay in refunds of advancement payments for hajj arrangements.

He demanded the government to announce a special relief package for private Haj, Umrah tour industry and exempt them from all federal and provincial taxes. He alleged the private airlines are using delaying tactics in payment of outstanding dues under the head of tickets that has brought the Haj, Umrah industry on verge of closure. The meeting was also addressed by Haji Abdul Jalil Jan, Aftab Iqbal and Ghazanfar Sawal and others.