PESHAWAR: President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz has expressed serious concern over harassment of business community, crackdown on business premises and imposition of heavy fines under guise of collection of local government taxes. He asked to introduce one-window operation system for tax-collection and to stop harassment of business community immediately.
In a statement issued here on Monday, SCCI chief said that the constructor teams of subordinate departments of local government have conducted raids in support with police on business premises without having proper notification and any scheduled for collection on name of trade license, dangerous things, generator, tyres shop, carwash, tuck shop, professional taxes as well as WSSP, weight and measures electric inspector, social security, and labour department fees.
Engr Maqsood Awnar said the crackdown on business premises and harassment of business community was strongly condemnable, which should be stopped immediately. He said business community is ready to payout all taxes but the government and its subordinate institutions are trying to collect taxes by various tactics, which was unacceptable.
SCCI president demanded of the district government to introduce one-window operation for collection of all aforementioned taxes in order to remove the grievances and difficulties of business community forthwith and to increase government revenue.
He said the business community is against the tax-evasion and non-filers, but the genuine taxpayers should not be treated and harassed, like tax-evaders. He asked to immediate stop crackdown on business premises, CNG filling station, petrol pump, and other offices and give due respect to taxpayers.
The chamber president said the business community has contributed national economy by paying regularly different taxes, if they (taxpayers) will call as tax-evader and harassing them under guise of collection of various taxes that will not only discourage one, but it will create gulf between government and genuine taxpayers so it will directly affect the country’s economy.
He asked the government and its subordinate institutions should abstain from taking anti-businesses measures which will slow down economic and business activities, besides it will reduce the government revenue.
