PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Thursday sought the property tax-exemption on plots, meant for construction of industrial estates under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zone Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC).
The demand was made by the SCCI president Faiz Muhammad Faizi during a meeting with Secretary Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control, Zafar Ali Shah at the chamber house.
Former president FPCCI Ghazanfar Bilour, senior vice president Engr Saad Khan Zahid, vice president Haris Mufti, former presidents Zahid Shinwari, Malik Niaz Ahmad, Haji Muhammad Afzal, and Director Excise and Taxation Fayaz Ali Shah, Director Revenue Excise and Taxation Salahuddin, deputy secretary Rehan Khattak, Additional Secretary Attaullah, and members of the SCCI executive committee were present in the meeting.
Faizi asked the KP Excise and Taxation department to fix property tax as per rental rates and equitable basis, and asked the authorities concerned to stop harassing the business community on name of tax-recovery.
The SCCI chief said that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project was further multiplied the problems of business community, which had already adversely affected due to prolonged weave of terrorism and extremism in the province. He said the chamber had flouted a suggestion to exempt the BRT-hit traders from all kind of provincial taxes.
He claimed the traders and industrialists had played an important role in creation of maximum job opportunities in the province, and demanded the abolishment of Excise and Taxation tax in cantonment board area.
Later, the Secretary Excise and Taxation, Zafar Ali Shah responding to the questions and suggestions of the business community forum agreed with the reservations SCCI president Faiz Muhammad and assured the business community will not be harassed during collection of property and professional taxes. He said the department will bring further easiness in the tax collection system for both tax-payer and tax collectors by issuance of prior intimation. He added the department is determined to alter vehicle registration and token tax system into smart card.
The official said that the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will introduce reforms. He said the property tax exemption is not fallen in the domain of his department and mandate of the provincial government. However, he assured that they will provide facilities to the business community in this regard, and the property tax of commercial properties floor-wise will be reviewed, he added.
