LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has strongly protested against continues raids on business premises by the staff of the Federal Board of Revenue despite FBR chairman’s clear assurance that no such action would be taken against business community.
In a statement issued here, LCCI President Abdul Basit, Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa and Vice President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan said that exploitation of business community is not acceptable. Chairman Federal Board of Revenue should take notice of violation of his directions and stop officials from conducting raids otherwise business community would be left with no other option but to close down their businesses and take to the streets.
The LCCI office-bearers said that chairman Federal Board of Revenue had announced to stop raids during his last visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry while Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics & Privatization had also made it clear that no such action could be taken without prior approval of the chairman FBR but concerned staff has blown the orders into wind and conducting raids.
They said that the issue of misuse of discretionary powers by the FBR staff and raids of business premises is badly affecting the business environment as FBR officers are used to enter into the premises of tax filers along with the large number of security personnel for threatening and harassing them without the permission of chairman of FBR or member concerned.
They said that government should take immediate notice of unjustified action against business community as bureaucracy is also tarnishing the soft image of the present regime and promoting trust deficit between the government and the private sector.
The LCCI office-bearers said that Federal Board of Revenue should divert its attention towards broadening the tax net and should bring untaxed sectors into the tax net instead of crushing the existing taxpayers. “How people could be encouraged to come into the tax net when existing taxpayers are being treated like criminals”, they questioned.
They demanded of the government to take notice of undue raids at business premises and also urged chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure implementation of his directions in true sense of word.
