KARACHI: The leadership of Businessmen Group (BMG) and Office Bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have warmly welcomed Finance Minister’s decision to suspend the controversial SRO 351 (I)/2014 which has sent a positive signal to the entire business community of Pakistan as it clearly indicates government’s intentions towards creating an enabling environment.
In a statement issued here, Chairman Businessmen Group & Former President KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli, Vice Chairmen BMG Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooki and Anjum Nisar, President KCCI, Abdullah Zaki, Senior Vice President KCCI, Muffasar A. Malik, Vice President KCCI, Muhammad Idrees appreciated Finance Minster’s prompt intervention and his immediate response to KCCI’s press conference in which, the business community of Karachi city strongly condemned the issuance of controversial SRO 351 (I)/2014.
They said that the entire business community of Pakistan stood united and joined hands against this anti-business SRO, which, if implemented, could have created a disastrous situation for the business community but thanks to Finance Minister’s timely intervention, the trade & industry has been rescued from the likely disaster. It has helped in restoring the confidence of business community on the policies of the government.
They added that instead of imposing such unjust SROs to punish the honest taxpayers, the government should devise a clear strategy on how to effectively deal with non-taxpayers, who continue to enjoy as they remain outside the tax net.
BMG leadership and KCCI Office Bearers, while appreciating various pro-business initiatives being taken by the present government, commented that the anti-business SRO351 was planted by some FBR officials to create more trouble for businessmen/ industrialists and promote corruption, but thanks to Ishaq Dar’s timely intervention, this serious issue stands resolved now.
Underscoring the significance of coordinated efforts between the business community and government officials, they hoped that similar support will be displayed in the days which would considerably improve various economic indicators and create an enabling business environment for everyone.
They further requested the Finance Minister to hold a meeting with business community either in Islamabad or Karachi prior to Federal Budget 2014-15 so that businessmen/ industrialists could get a chance to discuss Joint Budget Proposals of all chambers of commerce which have already been submitted to all the concerned authorities.
