ISLAMABAD: Iftikhar Anwar Sethi, Acting President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has said that Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI) has proposed manifold increase in next budget in municipal taxes including trade license fee, signboard tax, property tax and water charges but the business community of the federal capital has totally rejected the proposed increase as it would create more problems for them.
He said this while addressing a delegation of Soap Manufacturers Association that visited ICCI led by Sheikh Muhammad Suleman. Sheikh Atif Ikram former President ICCI, Haji Sheikh Munir, Haji Sheikh Iqbal, Nisar Anwar Sethi, Sheikh Muhammad Ejaz, Mehmood Ahmed Warraich, Khalid Chaudhry, Kashif Iqbal Sethi from Kohat, Kamran Ahmed Sethi and others were in the delegation.
Iftikhar Anwar Sethi said that as per municipality laws, no increase in municipal taxes could be made without giving advance advertisement in press and without public hearing, but in the instant case, no such exercise was done. He said the economy of the country was already struggling for revival due to which business activities were also suffering.
He said in these conditions, proposing manifold increase in municipal taxes was tantamount to putting businesses into further troubles. He urged that before making any such proposals, MCI should take ICCI and market associations into confidence and no increase in taxes should be made without detailed consultation with local trade bodies so that businesses could be saved from further problems.
ICCI Acting President said that the Holy Month of Ramazan was around the corner and price control committees should be revived to save the common man from any difficulties in the Holy month
