Traders assured of withdrawing hike in tax

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Excise and Taxation Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad on Tuesday assured the traders of withdrawing the increase in property tax besides granting two-week extension in rebate already given to the stakeholders. He gave this assurance at a meeting of the newly-formed committee. Provincial Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Secretary Excise & Taxation Waqas Ali Mahmood and representatives of All-Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajraan including Naeem Mir and Waqar Ahmed Mian were also present in the occasion. The minister said that the rebate facility has been restored for two weeks while no additional surcharge will be levied on the taxpayers until the final decision. He said that the government was cooperating fully with the business community. “We are well aware of the importance of the private sector to keep the wheel of the economy running”, he said and added that for the sake of traders, property tax proposals would be discussed in the pre-resource mobilisation committee.