PESHAWAR. Waris Ghani, a Peshawar-based importer, said Maersk Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd not only evaded sales tax worth billions but also frustrated importers by delaying consignments to demand bribe and hidden charges.
While talking with Customs Today, he said Maersk Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd looted the country through sales tax evasion and issuing bills without sales tax numbers, and NAB should not spare such gambling with the national economy.
Waris Ghani, a member Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Maersk Pakistan is losing its market to Chinese companies due to fraud and unlawful practices in Pakistan. The NAB must recover sales tax evaded by Maersk Pakistan to encourage genuine traders in Pakistan and teach a lesson to fraudsters, he added.
He said this money could be used in safeguarding economic development of Pakistan if recovered by NAB from Maersk and it would also set a good precedent for others. It is important to mention here that Maersk Pakistan is acting notoriously after doing sale tax evasion worth billions. After hype created by media to interrogate Maersk Pakistan, Sindh Revenue Board started the audit of the shipping line but the company did not cooperate with the Board to conduct a fair audit of the said company.
He said that law enforcement agencies should force Maersk Pakistan to show up all the details of the taxes and profit of the company during 6-7 years by providing services to local clients in Karachi. Maersk Pakistan committed a crime by causing loss of billions to the exchequer, he added.
