MULTAN: Business Community of South Punjab is facing difficulties in payment of taxes and duties attributable to unavailability of tax collection booth within Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Currently, over 200 trading and industrial units are operational in the South Punjab, however, they have to travel about 5 kilometers for payment of taxes and duties as nearest tax collection booth at Multan Nawan Shehar.
Former convener of MCCI Central Committee Khawaja Muhammad Usman has written a letter to Federal Minister for Finance Shoukat Tarin and highlighted the issue being faced by business community of Multan and urged for setup of a National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) tax collection booth within Industrial Estate and Multan Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the trading and industrial units.
Huge number of shipments is moving from Multan every week and their goods declarations (GDs) are being filed and processed at Multan and Sadiqabad export terminal. However, the traders and agents have to travel to Multan Dry Port and other branches on daily basis to pay duty, taxes, stamp fee and infrastructure Cess at NBP Airport Booth which is miles away from the business hub.
He informed that after payment of taxes and duties at NBP airport booth, the GDs are again required at Industrial area for further processing and shipment release. Tax payment indeed a big hassle and time consuming for the traders and agents, especially during the routine traffic jams on this route.
He said setting up of NBP collection booth within MCCI office and Industrial estate would truly be a big relief to traders and agents and will help to make timely tax payment and smooth sailing of shipments from Multan. He further informed that with efforts from the different platforms, now the NBP and business community of South Punjab are agreed to setup a tax collection booth within the premises for their facilitation. However, the setting up of booth is being delayed as term and condition among two institutions could not be finalized.
Khawaja Usman said that on MCCI’s initiative, NBP and MCCI had meetings and various discussions for creation of the said booth within MCCI and both are also agreed to the proposal. Moreover, MCCI has also offered an office space to NBP for the purpose. Khawaja Muhammad Usman has requested Finance Minister to issue directives for setting up a tax collection booth within MCCI in the larger interest of trade from South Punjab.
